Agenda 09-19-23; 6-a - Orange County NC 54 Multimodal Corridor Study

Browse Search

MPO Board 10/9/2019 Itemm 8 Ref: 38587.01 October 1, 2019 Page 7 the model's over-assignment of traffic to West Main Street (discussed above). An 80%/20% (4:1) split between NC 54 Bypass and West Main Street was assumed. A comparison of the daily volumes from the 2045 Build and No-Build scenarios west of Old Fayetteville Road is shown in Figure 14 to illustrate the shifts in network traffic assignments associated with the widening, according to the TRM. Historical volumes and 1%and 1.5%annual volume growth rates are displayed, and the typical capacities of a 2-lane roadway and a 4-lane divided roadway are indicated to provide context for the road's current and anticipated performance. Observations Volume Increases • As traffic volumes increase on NC 54, longer segments exceed capacity for longer time periods.Travel times increase, while also becoming less reliable due to crashes, weather events, and other incidents. In response, some traffic shifts to alternate routes. When NC 54 is widened, congestion and resulting delays and variations are reduced, and these trips return to NC 54, which should also reduce crashes. • The most significant volume shifts are on NC 54. The 2,000 veh/day added between Dodson's Crossroads and Old Fayetteville Road represent about a 10% increase over the No-Build scenario. The resulting volume is well within the capacity of the proposed 4-lane divided cross section. Assuming 10%of traffic occurs in the peak hour, with a 60/40 directional split, this translates into about 200 additional vehicles in the peak hour, with 120 vehicles (two/minute) added in the peak direction. • Traffic shifts back onto NC 54 decrease to the west, both on an absolute and a percentage basis.To the east, about 200 vehicles/day are added to West Main Street, and 1000 to the NC 54 Bypass. About one-third of these are added to South Columbia Street traffic, half continue on the Bypass, and the remainder are oriented southward. • Orange Grove Road and Mebane Oaks Road experience smaller increases from traffic that would have headed north to 1-40 or used rural roads (such as Arthur-Minnis and Bradshaw Quarry)for east-west trips. Some of these trips appear to be shifted from Old NC 86/Hillsborough Road, Union Grove Church Road, and even M.L.K.Jr Boulevard. Minor traffic increases occur on segments of Eubanks, Bethel-Hickory Grove Church, Butler, and White Cross Roads. • Both the Build and No-Build scenarios exceed the capacity of the 2-lane existing roadway across a range of growth rate estimates. Volume Reductions • Overall,traffic reductions resulting from the proposed NC 54 widening are more dispersed than the traffic increases.There is a noticeable reduction in east-west traffic along Arthur-Minnis, Bradshaw Quarry, and New Hope Church Roads. North-south traffic on Old NC 86/Hillsborough Road and Old Fayetteville Road also decreases.The most significant decrease is 800 vehicles/day along the segment of Old NC 86 between Dairyland/Homestead Roads and Old Fayetteville Road. Minor reductions occur on portions of Old Page 7 of 12