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DRAFT contact the town clerk's office at 919-469-4011 for official minutes Minutes of the Town of Cary, NC Comprehensive Transportation Plan Update April 29, 2008 5:30 p.m. Conference Room 10035, 316 N. Academy St., Cary, NC
Present: Mayor Harold Weinbrecht, Mayor Pro Tem Julie Robison, Council Members Don Frantz, Erv Portman and Jack Smith.
Absent: Council Member Gail Adcock participated by conference call.
Council Member Jennifer Robinson arrived late and her arrival is noted in the minutes.
Mayor Weinbrecht called the meeting to order at 5:35 p.m.
Consultant Todd Delk from Kimley-Horn Associates said that the purpose of the work session is to receive policy direction from council on roadway widths, median widths and level of service standards. (Staff’s PowerPoint presentation is attached to and incorporated herein as Exhibit A.)
Council member Jennifer Robison arrived at this point in the meeting at 5:37 p.m.
Median Widths
Mr. Delk said that based on the recommendations in the comprehensive transportation plan and the results from the Triangle regional model for 2035, there are still some six lane facilities recommended in the report. He said that council direction from the prior work session was to increase the median width on standard designs for roadway cross sections where there is infill and where widening certain road sections from two to four lanes, and to create 30 foot medians for greenfields in new construction of a four lane divided facility. He said there is an increase in the right-of-way cost with a median widening.
Mrs. Robinson asked about enhanced community aesthetics for the medians and whether specific plantings are required based on the width of the median. Mr. Bailey responded that big trees cannot be put in any median. He said that shrubs and very small trees are allowed regardless of the median width. He said shrubs, ground covers and bulbs are used with narrower medians.
With regard to 18 feet medians, Mr. Delk said there has been significant talk with the neighboring communities—Apex, Raleigh, and Morrisville—about the transportation plan and 18 feet is consistent with the surrounding areas.
Mayor Pro Tem Robison asked about enhancing the potential for better pedestrian access with 18 feet medians. Mr. Bailey said that staff can work with any width to make it friendlier and provided more pedestrian protection.
Mrs. Robinson said that narrow medians widths need to bubble out with sidewalk arching around them to allow cars to perform U-turn movements. Mr. Bailey said that it is now a requirement on all Department of Transportation plans to accommodate a typical size vehicle.
Mayor Pro Tem Robison asked about raising some of the medians higher or having brick or alternative patterns to improve aesthetics. Mr. Bailey said that council previously requested staff look at alternatives and bring information back to them, and staff close to having that staff report ready for council.
Mr. Portman said with council should support staff’s recommendation for roadway width. Mayor Weinbrecht agreed and said for that greenfields widths should be 30 feet.
Mayor Pro Tem Robison asked for clarification on the recommendation. Mr. Bailey said staff’s recommendation is to adopt 30 feet median widths for Chapel Hill Road from Reedy Creek to Walker Street, McCrimmon Parkway from NC 55 to east to Koppers Road, Morrisville Parkway from the turnpike to NC 55, and for Cary Towne Boulevard and narrower medians for other areas.
Mrs. Robinson asked about the Southwest Area plan. She said the roads in that area are different and she doesn’t want to end up with a very suburban feeling place with lower standard roads—no curbs, no sidewalks. She said that if they are approving suburban neighborhoods suburban the roads need to match. Mr. Bailey said that staff can revisit that issue as they start to deal with the Southwest Area Plan and Chatham County issues.
Mayor Weinbrecht asked if council supports the staff recommendation for median widths and all council members concurred.
Roadway Widths
Mr. Delk said that staff recommended some six lane sections based on the previous plan, the results of the triangle regional model (TRM), and various other engineering studies and staff experiences.
Mayor Pro Tem Robison asked who set model. Mr. Delk said that the TRM is developed by Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO) and the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT).
Mrs. Robinson said she would like to look at innovative ways of improving intersections before committing to wider widths. She said going to extra lanes is the last resort—they should first try to amend the interchanges. Mr. Bailey said that the 2001 plan was adopted with a lot of the innovative intersections and grade separations. He said it was scaled back because of council concerns about the look and feel in certain areas.
Mrs. Robinson requested that staff generate a list of intersections where doing different types of treatment will significantly improve the throughput so they council can better understand which ones would be difficult to implement and which ones they can plan for in the future. Mr. Bailey said that staff will produce a list and bring it back to council.
Mrs. Robinson said that grade separated pedestrian walkways should be standard for roads widened beyond four lanes. Mayor Pro Tem added that staff should look at alternatives to fixing intersections. She said that she cannot commit to six lanes because of pedestrian concerns.
Mrs. Robinson said that before a future council ever commits to widening a road to six lanes they should first look at alternatives to upgrade the intersections.
Mr. Frantz said council has to be careful with the design and planning to ensure they maintain a pedestrian friendly environment. He said that he supports staff’s recommendation.
Mr. Frantz asked to be excused from the work session.
ACTION: At 6:22 p.m. Mayor Pro Tem Robison moved to excuse Mr. Frantz from the meeting; Mrs. Robinson provided the second; council granted unanimous approval.
Mrs. Robinson said that before automatically widened a road to six lanes that each intersection be scrutinized for alternatives to make them run more efficiently. She said the construction plans should include grade separated crossings at major intersections. Mr. Smith added that a cost analysis should be included with the grade separation.
Mr. Portman said he is comfortable with going to six lanes if they review appropriate uses for grade separated crossing. Mayor Pro Tem Robison said they should look at going to six lanes on a case-by-case basis because one size does not fit all.
Mr. Bailey said if six lanes are acceptable on the proposed roads then staff can continue to work on the pedestrian issue. He said that staff can look at innovative ways to help balance council concerns. Julie Andes of the Planning Department said staff did a comprehensive pedestrian plan as part of the overall CTP which covers in more detail the pedestrian side of things. She said that it will be included in the plan when it comes to council for adoption.
Mayor Weinbrecht summarized council concerns, discussions and direction stating that council is okay with the staff recommendation for the six lanes, they are concerned about pedestrian safety and it should be a major focus and emphasized more in staff reports. He said if going to six lanes pedestrian safety needs to become a focal point. He said that staff will evaluate grade separated crossings and alternatives at intersections. All council members concurred.
Level of Service Standards
Mr. Portman asked what happens when the four lane limit is reached. Mr. Bailey said several things can happen: (1) don’t study the intersection if the road is already built to the maximum width; or (2) study the intersection but don’t require improvements; or (3) study the intersection and use it as a tool for land use planning.
Mrs. Robinson said that she would like to see something done to require that new development impacting the intersection look at alternative treatments to that intersection to stay within the same right of way. Mr. Bailey said that it can be made part of the traffic study requirements that developers look at alternatives. He said that they can guide the traffic studies in the direction to consider alternatives when a cap is reached. Mr. Bailey said that staff will continue to look for ways to provide innovative solutions.
Mayor Weinbrecht summarized council discussions stating that council agrees with the caps and once caps are reached staff will look for alternatives to widening, which may be beyond the intersection. All council members concurred.
Mr. Bailey said that leaning toward a cap with allow staff to finish the transportation plan and council will receive all of the other information in the APF roads ordinance to reconsider in finer detail as it comes back to council.
Remaining CTP steps
Mr. Delk reviewed the proposed schedule and said that with the direction provided by council they will be able to finish the report and prepare the draft.
Mayor Weinbrecht asked where the APF falls in the schedule. Mr. Bailey said that staff will have to develop ordinances and get them back to council. He said barring significant comments from the public they can start working on the APF ordinance.
Mayor Weinbrecht adjourned the meeting at 7:06 p.m.
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