TITLE: Title
Update on the Draft 2020-2029 STIP and Consideration of Transportation Projects for Prioritization 6.0
PURPOSE: The purpose of this agenda item is to provide the Board with an update on the draft 2020-2029 State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP), and to receive input on potential projects to submit for the 2022-2031 STIP through the Strategic Prioritization process 6.0.
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DEPARTMENT: Planning
CONTACT INFORMATION: Christina Moon - 919-918-7325; Zachary Hallock - 919-918-7329
INFORMATION: About every two years, the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) develops a state transportation improvement plan (STIP) to identify funding and schedule transportation projects for a period of ten years. NCDOT selects these projects using a data-driven prioritization process established by the Strategic Transportation Investments (STI) law, adopted in 2013. (Information about STI may be found at the following link: <https://www.ncdot.gov/initiatives-policies/Transportation/stip/Pages/strategic-transportation-investments.aspx> ).
Prioritization Process 5.0 and Development of the 2020-2029 STIP
The Board of Aldermen considered possible projects for submittal in Prioritization 5.0 as part of the development of the 2020-2029 STIP at two meetings in 2017: April 7th and September 5th. (Agenda materials may be found here: <https://carrboro.legistar.com/MeetingDetail.aspx?ID=532831&GUID=D297768D-C3AE-4BE6-B6AB-58846363C5FC&Options=&Search>= and <https://carrboro.legistar.com/MeetingDetail.aspx?ID=532844&GUID=36690B3B-4D72-4FE1-B507-C89F5A5F4BD5&Options=&Search>=) Per the Board’s direction from these meetings, Town staff worked with the MPO and NCDOT to submit eight projects for scoring. Some projects were submitted both as bike-pedestrian and highway projects to improve the likelihood of being programmed for funding as noted below.
§ Bike-Pedestrian Projects (Standalone)
§ NC 54 - Sidepath from James Street to Anderson Park
§ NC Old 86 - Bike lanes from Farm House Rd to Homestead Rd
§ Seawell School Rd - Sidepath or bike lanes and sidewalk (2 projects submitted) from Estes Dr to Homestead Rd
§ Highway Projects (Combined)
§ NC Old 86 - Corridor improvements for all modes from Old Fayetteville Road to Calvander proposed as modernization
§ Highway Projects (Combined)
§ NC 54 & Old Fayetteville - Intersection Improvements
§ West Main & James Street - Intersection Improvements to improve all modes
§ NC 54 from Old Fayetteville to West Main Street - Corridor improvement to Superstreet/synchronized street cross section
In January 2019, NCDOT released the results of the P5.0 scoring process in the draft 2020-2029 STIP. The STIP includes the highest scoring projects for all three categories of funding (Statewide, Regional and Division) for all modes (Highway, Aviation, Bicycle-Pedestrian, Ferry, Public Transit, and Rail). The draft 2020-2019 STIP may be found at this link: <https://www.ncdot.gov/initiatives-policies/Transportation/stip/development/Documents/2020-2029-draft-stip.pdf> . The STIP is divided into chapters by division. The Town of Carrboro is in Division 7 (Alamance, Caswell, Guilford, Orange, Rockingham counties). Projects in Division 7 can be found on pages 339-412 of the 820-page STIP document. Only one of the projects that Carrboro submitted for P5.0 scored high enough to be included in the draft STIP, the NC 54 sidepath from James Street to Anderson Park. This project can be found on page 62 of 73 of the chapter on Division 7.
A period for commenting on projects that have been identified for funding in the draft 2020-2029 STIP remains open until April 15th. The North Carolina Board of Transportation is expected to adopt the final STIP in June 2019. Instructions for commenting and information relating to drop-in sessions for Orange County projects may be found at NCDOT’s website at the following link: <https://www.ncdot.gov/initiatives-policies/Transportation/stip/development/Pages/public-involvement.aspx>. Drop-in sessions for Division 7 will be held on March 4-8, at the NCDOT division office on Yanceyville Street in Greensboro.
Prioritization Process 6.0 and Development of the 2022-2031 STIP
In late February, the Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Metropolitan Planning Organization staff technical committee (DCHC MPO TC) will begin the process of identifying possible projects to submit for scoring in P6.0 as part of the development of the next STIP. Since relatively few DCHC MPO projects were selected for funding in the 2020-2029 STIP it is anticipated that many of the same projects would be resubmitted either “as is” or with minor modifications to try to improve scoring.
With that in mind, possible projects for resubmittal for P6.0 include:
§ Bike-Pedestrian Projects
§ Seawell School Rd - Sidepath or bike lanes and sidewalk
§ NC Old 86 - Bike lanes
§ Highway Projects (Modernization)
§ Calvander - Intersection Improvements
§ NC Old 86 Old Fayetteville to Calvander - Modernization
§ Highway Project
§ NC 54 & Old Fayetteville - Intersection Improvements
§ James Street & West Main Street - Intersection Improvements
Staff has not yet received the formal schedule for the P6.0 process but anticipates that a subcommittee of the TC will meet during the spring and summer to identify a list of projects for consideration by the MPO Transportation Board by late summer. Staff has begun conversations with Orange County and Chapel Hill to identify projects of shared interest for collaboration. The upcoming work on the comprehensive bicycle transportation plan update may also inform the prioritization of local projects.
Staff would anticipate bringing a future item back to the Board as the TC subcommittee begins its deliberations and internal prioritization as a check-in to the status of Town projects. The Board may wish to refer the matter to the Transportation Advisory Board for recommendation at one or more intervals during the process.
FISCAL & STAFF IMPACT: Future fiscal impacts are dependent on the selection of projects during the P6.0 process. Based on the most recent cost estimates, if the two bike-ped projects (i.e. bike lanes from Farmhouse Road to Calvander and one of the Seawell School Road options) were to be funded and constructed as standalone projects, the total cost would be approximately $5,414,690 and the local match would be $1,082,938. Some of the local match could be subject to cost sharing with our neighboring jurisdictions, the Town of Chapel Hill and Orange County. Staff time would also be needed for project management. All projects selected for funding would come before the Board for final approval and appropriation of required matching funds prior to contract execution and design.
RECOMMENDATION:r Staff recommends that the Board review the transportation projects described and identify projects for consideration for the upcoming prioritization process, P 6.0 (Attachment A).