STAFF REPORT
Planning & Zoning Board,
Adoption of
Comprehensive Transportation Plan (PL09-001a)
Consideration of Adoption of the 2008 Comprehensive Transportation Plan Update
Speaker: Tim Bailey, Engineering Director
From: Tim Bailey, Engineering
Director
Jeffery G. Ulma, Planning Director
Prepared by:
Juliet
Approved by: William B. Coleman,
Jr., Town Manager
Approved by: Benjamin T. Shivar,
Assistant Town Manager
Background:
The Town began
an update to the 2001 adopted Comprehensive Transportation Plan (CTP) in April
of 2006. The existing 2001 CTP includes four elements: roadway, bicycle,
pedestrian and transit. The current update to the streets, bicycle and transit
elements was completed by Kimley-Horn & Associates (streets, bicycle) and their
sub-consultant, Nelson Nygaard Consulting Associates (transit). The pedestrian
element was completed in the fall of 2007 by Louis Berger & Associates through a
North Carolina Department of Transportation Bicycle and Pedestrian Division
pedestrian planning grant and has been incorporated into the 2008 CTP update for
adoption.
Public
involvement has guided the planning process and shaped the final draft. While
comments have informally been received since the plan update began, key
milestones regarding public input include:
·
Web-based survey: October-December 2006
·
Professional phone survey: April-May 2007
·
Teen focus groups (Cary Teen Council, Green Hope HS): April-May 2007
·
Regional partner meetings: Spring 2008
·
Mailing to the 2001 Citizen Advisory Committee: May 2008
·
Public Open House:
Staff has also
regularly met with Town Council to seek direction on the plan and update them on
the consultant’s progress. These meetings include:
While many of
the transportation planning and design principles established in the 2001 CTP
remain constant in the update, including the Town’s CTP goals and objectives,
the 2008 update does incorporate new Town initiatives, data and recommendations.
The plan update also serves as an update to all transportation elements of
existing lane use plans. The key recommendations proposed in the 2008 update are
highlighted below, by CTP element.
1. Streets Element
A. Model
Update: A series of
2030 Traffic Model projections were used to assess anticipated future system
deficiencies. Projected household and employment data were tested in the
Triangle Regional Travel Demand Model to determine how the existing system,
including programmed changes, will operate in the future. The model was run
using both a toll and non-toll scenario for the future Triangle Expressway
(formerly I-540) and the associated results can be found in Figures 7.3 through
7.6 in the plan document.
B.
Collector Street Plan:
Another update to the CTP included a collector street plan. A planning level
analysis was conducted using GIS technology, aerial photographs and development
plans to evaluate the addition, realignment, deletion and classification of
collector streets throughout the Town. The collector street analysis had four
major objectives:
C. 6-lane roads: Based on input from the Town Council, the CTP Update is proposing to cap all major roads at 4-lanes with the exception of several corridors projected by the traffic model to necessitate the need for 6 lanes. The development of future model runs reflected a deliberate methodology to evaluate the preliminary model results and strategically determine the locations where six-lane facilities will be necessary in the Horizon Year 2035. As a result, expansion to six-lane roadway facilities is limited from the corridors programmed with that width in the current thoroughfare plan to the following corridors (see Map).
·
NC 55:
·
·
·
·
Aviation Parkway:
·
·
·
D.
Median width: The CTP
Update recommends, based on Council direction, maintaining
the Town’s current 18’ median standard for infill projects and introducing a 23’
and 30’ width median standard for consideration on Town of Cary roadway projects
where design may not be constrained by existing roadway infrastructure. Roads
designated in the Southwest Area Plan would be exempt in an effort to retain
“rural character”. These include the following corridors:
·
·
·
·
Figure 1
depicts road
cross-sections with 18-, 23- and 30-foot-wide medians.
E. Standardized road profiles:
The CTP Update
introduces a series of standardized road profiles to replace the individual road
profiles found in the current CTP. This approach was utilized to streamline the
document, simplify plan updates and incorporate right-of-way measurements into
the typical sections. The Update does not reflect a change to the Town’s
existing typical sections, with the exception of the median widths addressed
above, where applicable. The profiles are organized by road class and include
descriptive information as shown in the example below:
Collector Streets –
A collector street penetrates various land use classifications and primary
function is traffic service, collecting traffic from streets intersecting it and
funneling it to major arterials.
Collector streets are designed to limit automobile travel speeds to 35 miles per
hour. They provide two travel lanes
including striped bike lanes to accommodate all levels of cyclists.
Street trees and landscaping for office, commercial , and residential
developments provide a buffer from the back of the sidewalk to the private
property line along the entire corridor.
Sidewalks are required for both sides of the street.
Curb cuts are frequent but should be limited to the greatest extent
possible with one driveway per single-family residential parcel and two per
other developed parcels. Context
sensitive design considerations should include:
2. Bicycle Element
Recommendations in the bicycle element
are categorized by the four E’s of bicycle planning: Engineering, Education,
Encouragement and Enforcement. As one of the League of American Bicyclists’
first nationally recognized bicycle-friendly communities, the initiatives
identified in the plan build upon the facilities, programs and events that have
earned
A. Engineering
§
Implementation of Sharrows “shared use arrows” on major roadways to delineate
travel space and raise awareness by all users of on-street bicycle facilities.
§
Improved bicycle route signage supplemented with time and distance measurements
to quantify potential bicycle trips for transportation.
§
Increased maintenance (once/month) of roadways with bicycle facilities,
particularly striped bike lanes to keep travel ways clear of debris.
§
Implementation of a bicycle facility/repair request program similar to the
sidewalk request program.
B. Education
C. Encouragement
D. Enforcement
3. Transit Element
At the time of
the 2001 Comprehensive Transportation Plan, the Town did not operate a transit
service. C-Tran originated as a door-to-door service for seniors and disabled
residents in 2001. Since that time, C-tran has expanded to include a fixed-route
transit service. The Key recommendations highlighted in the transit element of
the CTP update include:
A. Fixed Route
Public Transit Service
B. Door-to-Door
Transit Service
4. Pedestrian Plan
The
Comprehensive Pedestrian Plan was completed, in part, through a grant from the
North Carolina Department of Bicycle and Pedestrian Planning. The plan was
completed in fall of 2007 and guided by Town Council direction, a Pedestrian
Stakeholder’s group and extensive public input. The Comprehensive Pedestrian
Plan is being rolled into the CTP Update to serve as the pedestrian element of
the CTP. Details on the public involvement process and key recommendations of
the plan are summarized below.
A. Public Involvement:
·
Stakeholder Committee: Representatives from the Greenway Committee, Police,
Parents, Wake County Public Schools, Health Officials, Latino community, Cycling
Advocate, Cary residents
·
On-line/paper survey conducted in spring/summer 2006 received 524 responses and
identified following major issues:
o
Lack of pedestrian system connectivity
o
Need for better pedestrian access to locations such as other neighborhoods,
parks, shopping centers, post offices, or cultural events
o
Improved pedestrian crossings, especially at mid-block locations and
intersections of major roads
·
Focus group meetings
o
Hispanic/Latino parent’s group
o
Senior focus group
o
Transit rider’s group
·
Town Council work session: Conducted Council survey, identified future needs
·
Pedestrian Plan Open House held in February 2007
B. Recommendations:
·
Best Practices: Provides guidance on school and school zone safety, curb
extensions, pedestrian refuge islands, parking lot design improvements, crossing
treatments, construction zones, etc.
·
Existing plans and policy recommendations:
o
Develop a formal sidewalk maintenance program
o
Expand traffic calming program beyond standard speed humps
o
Strengthen pedestrian connectivity and greenway requirements in the Land
Development Ordinance
·
Future projects: identifies a prioritized list of projects focused at improving
pedestrian safety, connectivity and accessibility. Projects were generated based
on public input and field work.
·
Program recommendations (not a complete list)
o
Continuation of Safe Routes to School initiative
o
Distribution of targeted educational materials to Town staff, major employers
and future residents
o
Coordination with regional alternative commuting organizations
o
Increased
coordination with Police Department to identify high hazard pedestrian locations
5. Major CTP Issues/Public
Comments:
Several key issues were raised
throughout the planning process for the CTP Update. These, along with comments
received at a public Open House held on
A. Reedy
The CTP Update identifies
Town staff has received significant
public input from residents living on or in close proximity to
Major concerns
residents cited with a 5-lane typical section include:
·
property impacts (homes, right-of-way, vegetation)
·
increased traffic congestion
·
pedestrian safety (particularly as it relates to the school)
·
speeding
·
Reedy Creek widening being
used as substitute for
It should be
noted there is currently a design project underway for the Reedy Creek road
improvements. Engineering staff is currently surveying the Reedy Creek corridor
and will use this information to analyze design alternatives, their associated
impacts and solicit public input through a series of citizen workshops scheduled
to take place starting in the fall of 2008.
B.
The Southwest Area Plan (SWAP),
adopted in 2004, recommended that
Alternate road alignments and/or a
widening of the existing Green level
Based on the outcome of the Green
Level Preservation Initiative public meetings, staff recommended endorsement of
option (1) to Town Council for approval. The following is an excerpt summary of
the road alignment options that was included in the October 2007 Green Level
Preservation Initiative follow-up staff report to Town Council. Town Council
subsequently voted to delay a decision on the
Operational aspects of road options.
Staff has
operational concerns about the two one-way bypass options.
a.
The bypass options
will require at least one more traffic signal than the widening option, and the
signal will impose additional traffic delay.
b.
The bypass options could result in a
need to widen a section of
c.
The bypass options
will require additional turn lanes at the thoroughfare intersections, resulting
in typically urban signalized intersections within Green Level.
d.
One-way traffic on
In contrast, the best regional traffic
flow and the best direct transportation connections to the Town of
In
summary, regional traffic modeling and forecasts have repeatedly indicated that
within 20 years the equivalent of 4 through lanes of traffic (2 in each
direction) on
(a)
(b)
Plan for an asymmetrical,
context-sensitive widening of
This option was presented at the
public open house on the CTP Update and a postcard mailing was sent out to all
attendees of the Green Level Preservation Initiative meetings. Town staff
received two comments at the CTP open house regarding
C. Level
of Service:
The Town of
Based on Town
Council input and direction, the CTP Update is recommending a design based
approach to measuring LOS with the Town. This approach will provide a cap for
Town intersections based on design, maintaining a LOS D standard until the
ultimate design for the intersection has been achieved.
Once design build-out is complete, LOS will no longer be measured.
Traffic studies will continue to be required as part of the development process
however, with a focus on improvements to multi-modal transportation rather than
and emphasis on larger intersections, additional turn lanes, etc. This model
fits within the Town’s current LOS system. It allows the Town to set maximums
for intersection widths and maintain bicycle and pedestrian friendly design
principles.
Staff supports
the recommendation of a design based approach to LOS based on its ease of
implementation and compatibility with the Town’s existing ordinances and fee
structures. This approach most closely follows the Town’s existing LOS
methodology and balances Council’s concerns over expanding intersections and the
accommodation of alternative transportation modes.
Caps for intersection build-out will be defined by facility type and are highlighted in detail in the plan. An example of a major thoroughfare to major thoroughfare intersection at build-out is highlighted in Figure 3.
Update since July 24th
Town Council Meeting
At the public hearing, the only comments concerned
While there were no comments about
In discussion, staff was asked to set up a meeting with the
One Council Member asked the
Planning & Zoning Board to look carefully at the 5-lane road sections and
consider where medians can be added.
Staff provided a review after the Council work session and found no
5-lane sections that could be easily and cost effectively converted to 4-lane
median divided.
Fiscal Impact:
The CTP is a long range planning document. Fiscal impacts are tied to annual
budget year decisions. The recommendations in the plan are intended to serve as
a guide for future transportation decision making.
Staff Recommendation: Staff
recommends Planning & Zoning conduct a public hearing on the 2008 Comprehensive
Transportation Plan Update. Following the P&Z public hearing, staff recommends
forwarding the CTP for approval with the change to a rural cross section for
