Agenda - 11-17-20; 12-2 - Information Item - US 15-501 Corridor Study

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1 PLANNING & INSPECTIONS DEPARTMENT Craig N. Benedict, AICP, Director Comprehensive Planning 131 W. Margaret Lane (919) 245-2575 Suite 201 (919) 644-3002 (FAX) ORANGE COUNTY P. O. Box 8181 www.orangecountync.gov NORTH CAROLINA Hillsborough, NC 27278 MEMORANDUM TO: Board of County Commissioners FROM: Nishith Trivedi, Transportation Planner CC: Craig Benedict, Orange County Planning Director Tom Altieri, Comprehensive Planning Supervisor DATE: November 17, 2020 SUBJECT: US 15/501 Corridor Study ATTACHMENT 1: US 15/501 September 9, 2020 Presentation ATTACHMENT 2: US 15/501 Orange County Staff Review This memo provides the Board of County Commissioners an update on the US 15/501 regional corridor study. The US 15/501 Corridor Study started summer 2018. A website (Reimagining15501.com) was created to encourage public participation throughout the planning process with the following public meetings: • June 26, 2018 — Workshop • October 22, 2018 — Workshop, tour, and travel profile report • October 17, 2019 — Workshop, 3 alternatives discussed, comment forms There were other public events including pop-up events in Durham and Chapel Hill; online public input map; local boards and commissions; interim reports to MPO Board; and, meetings with staff and elected officials. The study was later put on hold due to the discontinuation the Durham Orange Light Rail Transit (DO LRT). The discontinuation of the DO LRT required amending the Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Metropolitan Transportation Plan (DCHC MPO MTP) in order for the study to continue. September 9, 2020, DCHC MPO staff presented the continued US 15/501 corridor study to the MPO Board with updated recommendations — DO LRT removed — and the MPO Board authorized the release of the final report for public comments. Visions of the 4 segments were updated to reflect a new multimodal corridor accommodating transit, bike, ped and auto (Attachment 1). MPO Board also directed MPO staff to address public and Board comments before they would take action on the study. From September 9, 2020 to present, MPO staff met with local officials of Chapel Hill and Durham to address their concerns on the study. Orange County was not included in these discussions. MPO staff has provided Orange County Transportation Planning staff a summary of how their concerns are addressed and Orange County Transportation Planning staff has reviewed them (Attachment 2).