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ATTACHMENTS <br />a 49 <br />STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA <br />DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION <br />LYNDO TFPEI T <br />MICHAEL F. EASLEY SECRETARY <br />GOVERNOR <br />August 15, 2005 <br />Felix Nwoko, Administrator <br />Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro MPO <br />101 City Hall Plaza <br />Durham, NC 27701 <br />RE: Draft Regional Priority List for the FY 2007-13 TIP <br />Dear Felix: <br />Project 1-0305 (I-85 widening from I-40 to the Durham County line) does not appear to be <br />included in the draft priority list. Because of the project's importance to the Department, it is <br />requested that MPO staff rate the project and include it in the final draft priority list for <br />consideration by the TAC during its meeting on September 14, 2005. <br />Project 1-0305 has consistently appeared in local and regional transportation plans for over ten <br />years. The project is recommended as an 8-lane facility in the Orange CCounty ounty por ou hofar the <br />Plan Study Report (1990), which is the most recent plan for the Orange <br />MPO. Project 1-305 is cited in the Transportation Plan for the Tow'dn constru b o o in the DCHC <br />and <br />The project was programmed for planning, design, right-of-way, <br />Metropolitan Transportation Improvement Plan for FY 2004-2010. Widening 1-85 to six lanes in <br />the project area was included in the 2025 Long Range Transportation Plan of the DCHC-MPO, <br />and is included in the 2030 Long Range Transportation Plan of the DCHC-MPO.. <br />Because of the current debate within the MPO on the need and the priority for the project, I want <br />to take the opportunity to explain why Project 1-305 is important to the Department and to <br />provide data to help you rate the project for the priority list. <br />HILT way System Connections 1-85 serves as an important link in the local, regional, and national <br />and highway network. I-85 provides major travel service within and through the Durham urban <br />area. 1-85 is also part of the National Highway System and is heavily used by automobile and <br />truck (freight) traffic because it provides direct connections between many major urban areas in <br />Greensboro, and Charlotte, <br />the Southern United States: Richmond-Petersburg, Virginia; Durham, orth <br />Atlanta, Ge 1-85 p ovides linkages to I-40 an I-20, both important transcontinental route orgia. Furthermore, <br />Relieve Future Congestion Daily traffic volume for the year 2030 is estimated to range from <br />78,200 at the west end of the project to 97,200 at the east end of the project.. Without capacity <br />LOCATION: <br />MAILING ADDRESS: Fa I B 1 SOUTH WILMINGTON STREET <br />1 SOUTH <br />NC DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION ? ? ? w u n w .. ? c ? RALEIGH, NC 27601 <br />TRANSPORTATION PLANNING BRANCH Phone: 919-73311705 <br />1554 MAIL SERVICE CENTER w NCDOTORG Fax: 919-733.2417 <br />RALEIGH NC 27599-1554