Orange County NC Website
US 70 Multimodal Corridor Study <br /> 4.6.1 Pedestrian and Bicycle Crashes <br /> Four pedestrian crashes and zero bicycle crashes were reported along the corridor between August 2017 and <br /> July 2022, as summarized in Table 18. Many bicycle or pedestrian "near-misses" are not reported and are, <br /> therefore, unsubstantiated. Both travelling along US 70 and crossing US 70 are potentially hazardous, given <br /> the lack of appropriate accommodations for pedestrians and bicyclists. Traffic speeds, rolling terrain, driver <br /> expectations, and access locations all contribute to crash potential, and suggest that pedestrian and bicycle <br /> travel in this corridor is suppressed due to discomfort and risk. Vehicle safety is typically measured in terms of <br /> crash history; given that many bicycle and pedestrian trips are trips are foregone due to the above reasons, <br /> crash history is not a reliable indicator of conditions related to bicycle and pedestrian safety. Given the <br /> potential amount of latent demand and the scarcity of crash data, bicycle and pedestrian safety are generally <br /> assessed differently from vehicular crashes, relying more on physical conditions.A similar approach is applied <br /> to railroad safety as well, due to the infrequent—but typically severe--nature of such rail crashes. <br /> Table 18 Bicycle and Pedestrian Crashes (August 2017 - July 2022) <br /> Day of Nearest Road Ambient <br /> Date Week Time Location Intersection Severity Surface Light <br /> Condition <br /> Jul Orange County 10:03 Buckhorn Possible Dark- Not <br /> 2021 Thursday PM Rd Injury(C) Dry Lighted <br /> Jul 2:44 Hillsborough, Faucette Evident <br /> 2021 Sunday PM Orange County Mill Rd Injury(B) Dry Daylight <br /> Feb 7:36 Hillsborough, Faucette Evident Dark- <br /> 2020 Tuesday PM Orange County Mill Rd Injury(B) Dry Lighted <br /> Jan 9:38 Hillsborough, Possible Dark - <br /> 2020 Friday PM Orange County NC 86 Injury(C) Dry Lighted <br /> 4.6.2 Large Vehicle Crashes <br /> Sixty-two crashes involving large vehicles were reported along US 70 between Mebane and NC 751, including <br /> one fatal crash and four B-injury crashes as well as multiple C-injury crashes. This crash rate appears to be <br /> generally proportionate to the volume of trucks relative to total traffic (i.e., there did not appear to be an <br /> outsized number of truck crashes relative to the percentage of truck traffic.) The fatal crash involved a truck <br /> rear-ending a vehicle leading to a multicar crash in a construction zone when traffic was stopped by a flagger <br /> near W Hill Avenue (SR 1161).The largest cluster of truck crashes occurred in Hillsborough near Churton <br /> Street (NC 86) including three school bus crashes.All three school bus crashes were rear ends that occurred in <br /> the morning around 7:30 am —8:30 am. Most truck crashes occurred in urban areas along the corridor and <br /> about 40% occurred within municipal limits. The truck crashes that occurred in more rural areas along the <br /> corridor tended to be rear end and fixed object crashes indicating the possibility of speeding and unexpected <br /> stops as attributable factors. <br /> Eight crashes involving large vehicles were reported along US 70 Bus from Churton Street (SR 1009) in <br /> Downtown Hillsborough to slightly before Palmers Grove Church Road including one A-injury crash and one <br /> B-injury crash as well as multiple C-injury crashes. The A-injury crash involved a left-turning passenger vehicle <br /> striking another on Churton Street (SR 1009) at US 70 Bus leading to a multicar crash including a bus. The B- <br /> injury crash involved a truck running off the road to the left and striking a utility pole then a house near Efland <br /> 66 Existing Conditions and Critical Issues <br />