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23 <br /> Chair Bedford asked for clarification on received or approved for the Board action. <br /> Nishith Trivedi said that approving the study makes it a locally adopted program that they <br /> can use at the state level. He said that a received document means that the contract is closed out <br /> and the consultant is paid but not included in the plan. <br /> Chair Bedford asked if the process still includes public hearings and officially including the <br /> project in SPOT. <br /> Nishith Trivedi said that it would require that process and that SPOT would tie money to <br /> the project. He said that it will also still require STIP to plan the project. He said that SPOT is the <br /> funding and STIP is the programming. He said that multiple iterations would have to be done. He <br /> said that adopting the study allows local governments to leverage complete streets so the state <br /> can fully fund the project. <br /> Commissioner Greene said the study in the agenda packet does not have the word <br /> "multimodal" in it. She said that this is a traffic analysis. She said that she recommends accepting <br /> the plan rather than adopting it. She said widening roads induces traffic, and Carrboro does not <br /> want this. She said Carrboro would bear the brunt of the traffic. She said that she hears that the <br /> projects would be paid for under complete streets but that she is not clear on where that is <br /> guaranteed. She said that right of way acquisition is expensive, and she does not think the state <br /> will pay for all of that. She said that Carrboro and the MPO have questions about this. She said <br /> that she is on the MPO, and they will be discussing next week, and she is unsure why they are <br /> discussing this tonight before the MPO does. <br /> Chair Bedford asked if DOT already owns the right of way. <br /> Nish Trivedi said they own 120 feet. He said the closest project is in Clayton and that is <br /> 109 feet of right of way with a divided four lane highway. He said that Pender County has another <br /> project. He said that there are projects that are done with less right of way. <br /> Commissioner Richards asked if this has been around since 2019. <br /> Nishith Trivedi said it has been since 2013 when the issues were first identified. He said <br /> the study was pursued and completed in 2018. He said that there is a lot more communication <br /> until the project is finished. <br /> Commissioner Richards asked if the Board voted on this before. <br /> Nishith Trivedi said they previously voted to receive the study but did not approve the <br /> study. He said if it is approved there is stronger leverage for NCDOT to pay for the project. <br /> Commissioner Richards asked if reviewing and accepting are the same thing. <br /> Nishith Trivedi said that voting that it is received is simply closing the contract and paying <br /> the vendor. <br /> Commissioner Richards asked what the options are tonight. <br /> Nishith Trivedi said that he is hoping they will approve the study. <br /> Commissioner Greene said they can still vote to receive the study rather than approve. <br /> Commissioner Richards said that the study has already been voted to be received and <br /> that is why she is confused about this tonight. <br /> Chair Bedford said that this Board now includes four commissioners that were not on the <br /> Board in 2019 when it was voted to be received. She said that it was removed by the technical <br /> committee from SPOT 7 after Carrboro raised concern. She said that she thought it would be <br /> beneficial for the four commissioners to see the report. She said that in 2019, they had a mayor <br /> show up to the meeting and announce that Carrboro was against it. She said they then voted to <br /> receive it. She said Carrboro does not want to widen Hwy 54 and they are concerned about the <br /> process. She said that the MPO would like additional discussion from the towns although Chapel <br /> Hill said they do not want to be part of this right now. She said that Carrboro is concerned about <br /> increased demand and enforcing DOT to pay for the multimodal. <br /> Commissioner Richards said that the process is involved after local priority is given. She <br /> said that without local priority, there is no action taken. She said that there are at least four other <br /> gates it needs to go through. <br />