Traffic Congestion and Highway Construction

[Third Strike]

Of course not!  It doesn't go through Raleigh...

 

Funny you mention that, as there is a push to convert US 70 into a freeway, giving Raleigh another link to the cost, and helping the local economy in east NC.

 

http://www.wral.com/study-improving-u-s-70-would-be-a-boon-for-eastern-nc/13749524/

http://www.super70corridor.com/super70corridor

 

I think there is a commission for US 74, but I haven't heard anything as of late.

[cltbwimob]

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2014/06/20/4991628/report-upgrading-us-70-could-mean.html#.U6SY9rH4Iu0

 

A $1 Billion dollar economic impact for upgrading US-70 to interstate standards from Raleigh to Morhead City

 

I imagine upgrading US-74 to interstate standards from Asheville to Charlotte to Wilmington would have an economic effect an order of magnitude higher than upgrading US-70.  Asheville and Wilmington are two big tourist areas; Wilmington is the largest port.  Charlotte is the largest city and has the largest metro economy in the state.  Plus Charlotte ships more goods through Wilmington than any other city in the state.

 

It is painfully obvious that this freeway link is needed, but alas, it will probably receive little attention. We need some effort put into upgrading US-74.

Edited June 20, 2014 by cltbwimob

[cltbwimob]

http://www.wsoctv.com/news/news/local/public-invited-share-thoughts-ncdots-planned-proje/ngQMJ/

 

http://www.ncdot.gov/strategictransportationinvestments/

 

Found some new and interesting info regarding transportation improvement projects.  The second link provides an interactive map which allows the user to view specifics on transportation projects.  Although not all these projects necessarily scored well, it was interesting to see some of the projects that showed up for the region.  A couple of notes on the more interesting projects for the area:

 

-According to the websites info, Independence Blvd will be upgraded to full freeway standards, with complete control of access for the remaining sections from the current construction area to 485.  It will also have interstate-width shoulders.  This seems odd considering it was supposed to be a hybrid arterial expressway.

 

-Brookshire Fwy will be extended to I-85

 

-The cost of the Garden Parkway will be much lower than I thought.  The DOT says it will cost $300 million versus $1 billion as is so often quoted.  Of course the discrepancy could come from how much  would be privately financed through a tolling company.  I will have to do more digging here.

 

-The current US-74 freeway west of Shelby has a project to upgrade to Interstate standards.  From other documentation I have read, the Shelby Bypass is to be built to Interstate standards. Is I-226 in our future?

 

-The proposed US-74 freeway from the Monroe Bypass to the Rockingham Bypass showed up on the map.

 

Rail:

 

-The former NS intermodal terminal is to be turned into a bulk transfer terminal.   Hooray adaptive reuse...smh

 

-The CSX intermodal terminal is to undergo a massive expansion including the addition of the electric wide cranes (pictured below) and 4 extra tracks.  According to the website, it would be able to handle approximately the same amount of lifts as the new NS terminal.

 

Edited June 23, 2014 by cltbwimob

[Third Strike]

Here's a map of all the projects submitted for prioritization:

 

http://ncdot.maps.arcgis.com/home/webmap/viewer.html?webmap=defb244d156a4722a0cd56d2a4c97df2

 

-According to the websites info, Independence Blvd will be upgraded to full freeway standards, with complete control of access for the remaining sections from the current construction area to 485.  It will also have interstate-width shoulders.  This seems odd considering it was supposed to be a hybrid arterial expressway.

 

It makes sense to make Independence a controlled access freeway between 485 to about where the road crosses the McAlpine Greenway. Plenty of space for shoulders, and connector roads are planned to run parallel with US 74. I think the only reason the existing expressway isn't a controlled access road is because of how difficult and expensive it would have been to connect the adjacent properties with a feeder/connector road.

 

-The cost of the Garden Parkway will be much lower than I thought.  The DOT says it will cost $300 million versus $1 billion as is so often quoted.  Of course the discrepancy could come from how much  would be privately financed through a tolling company.  I will have to do more digging here.

 

I think this project will be a hard one to sell. It now has to compete with I-85 being widening between I-485 to the SC state-line (which scored pretty well on the ranking system). They should either shelve this project, or revise it so it doesn't run through downtown Gastonia. If a southern Gaston freeway has to exist, then I would rather it connect with US 74 in King's Mountain, or maybe even to I-85 near the state-line. Really no reason for it to cut through Gastonia like that.

 

 

[dubone]

So much of this stuff is absurd.   Charlotte only really has freeway projects because they're so expensive.  It is laughable that Bruton Smith Blvd in Concord has a state bike project just to add basic non-auto infrastructure that should have been part of the project in the first place.   

 

Meanwhile Kinston has flipping freeways planned in 50 directions.  

 

It was interesting to see confirmed that they will still have the Mainline Rail Separation project on the books.  

[Urbanity]

"“If you don’t want to drive on the tollway, don’t,” he said. “There will still be free lanes next to it.”

 

I'm loving this quote from Rep. Bill Brawley, (Rep) who is co-chair of the House Transportation Committee in regards to all the outrage about the toll roads.

Edited June 24, 2014 by Urbanity

[jednc]

"“If you don’t want to drive on the tollway, don’t,” he said. “There will still be free lanes next to it.”

 

I'm loving this quote from Rep. Bill Brawley, (Rep) who is co-chair of the House Transportation Committee in regards to all the outrage about the toll roads.

It's that sort of tone deaf rhetoric that got him unseated in the last election.

[Urbanity]

I didn't know common sense was the same as tone deaf.    In all honesty this is a real urban issue - why should drivers who live outside the city in most cases expect more lanes for free?

[SentioVenia]

His sentiment is understandable, but the real outrage will arrive if the toll is $20, as rumored.  It's one thing to choose not to drive in the toll lane, another thing altogether to not be able to afford it.

[DCMetroRaleigh]

Glad to see some state recognition that 74 should be a freeway or bypass from Monroe to Rockingham, and not just the Wadesboro Bypass.

[orulz]

Meanwhile Kinston has flipping freeways planned in 50 directions.

The US 70 Freeway project makes just as much sense as completing the US 74 Freeway from Wadesboro to Wilmington. Congestion can be pretty bad on 70 in Kinston and Havelock, and the crash rate is sky high - they have needed bypasses for decades.

Goldsboro isn't as bad and should have been a lower priority, but a second US 70 bypass is already under construction there. Go figure.

But they're seriously planning for a second freeway for GTP in Kinston? As if the first one that's already built wasn't enough?

[AuLukey]

Here's a map of all the projects submitted for prioritization:

 

http://ncdot.maps.arcgis.com/home/webmap/viewer.html?webmap=defb244d156a4722a0cd56d2a4c97df2

IMO what's horrible about that map is if you look at 49 in University City.  They have plans to widen that sucker to 6 lanes?  Yes, please make the most anti-urban thing you can roll directly in front of the main entrance to one of the largest universities in the state.  And, oh by the way, developers are building somewhat pedestrian oriented development FINALLY on that road, as unfeasible as that may be, and you're going to pretty much just erase any possibility for that to continue into the future.  Good things are beginning to happen to that part of the city with the rise of the BLE and projects like Crescent that actually acknowledge there is a university there. 

 

Yes, I get that there is a ton of traffic there during rush hour because of Harrisburg.  But there must be another way.  The state is turning the university even more into an island by even considering this proposal.

 

I don't even live anywhere near that part of the city anymore and I feel offended by this proposal.

[tozmervo]

If i trusted them to make it a legitimate boulevard, it could actually be a good project for the area. But I don't, so it'll probably just suck.

[jednc]

I didn't know common sense was the same as tone deaf.    In all honesty this is a real urban issue - why should drivers who live outside the city in most cases expect more lanes for free?

There are more people who would disagree with you than would agree (just not on a message board like this). Either way, the voters spoke.

[ah59396]

IMO what's horrible about that map is if you look at 49 in University City.  They have plans to widen that sucker to 6 lanes?  Yes, please make the most anti-urban thing you can roll directly in front of the main entrance to one of the largest universities in the state.  And, oh by the way, developers are building somewhat pedestrian oriented development FINALLY on that road, as unfeasible as that may be, and you're going to pretty much just erase any possibility for that to continue into the future.  Good things are beginning to happen to that part of the city with the rise of the BLE and projects like Crescent that actually acknowledge there is a university there. 

 

Yes, I get that there is a ton of traffic there during rush hour because of Harrisburg.  But there must be another way.  The state is turning the university even more into an island by even considering this proposal.

 

I don't even live anywhere near that part of the city anymore and I feel offended by this proposal.

 

 

I guess I'm on the opposite side of that.  I just don't ever see that area becoming "urban" like we'd all like it to be, even with rail on campus.  University City (not trying to bash it here) is a suburban district of office spaces, low density housing, retail and a University plopped in the middle of it.  It's already an island, surrounded by 485, 85, Harris and 49, all heavily traveled roads (not to mention 29 running up it's gut).  It is what it is up there.  It's not bad, it's just the nature of the location.

[MilZ]

I believe there is still potential for the immediate area around campus, although it certainly would help if BLE was more accessible from the rest of campus where a majority of the educational buildings are located.  Most of the suburban style development in the area is failing and bound to be replaced within the next couple decades.

[AuLukey]

I guess I'm on the opposite side of that.  I just don't ever see that area becoming "urban" like we'd all like it to be, even with rail on campus.  University City (not trying to bash it here) is a suburban district of office spaces, low density housing, retail and a University plopped in the middle of it.  It's already an island, surrounded by 485, 85, Harris and 49, all heavily traveled roads (not to mention 29 running up it's gut).  It is what it is up there.  It's not bad, it's just the nature of the location.

I understand the point you are making.  And I actually agree with you about the current state of things.  UCity is a relatively lost cause, but why exacerbate the issue when the area is actually attempting to turn around?  The fact that there is already a problem in the area doesn't mean you should neglect to try to make it better.  While it is a different scenario not dealing with infrastructure, look at gentrification in other parts of the city.  People are trying to make less desirable places in the city into just the opposite, and it's working.

 

The fact that the majority of the roads in that area of town are state owned is really the problem.  The state sees "traffic" and wants to alleviate it without consideration for the area directly adjacent.  What should be happening in that part of town is the addition of a grid.  Give drivers alternative routes rather than just funneling them through one point.  It's actually laughable that there is a Master of Urban Design degree offered at an institute with a trench built around it. 

EDIT: the actual program for that masters degree is offered at the uptown campus

 

Why should one gigantic portion of the city, encompassing almost a fifth of the city's actual land area and a large percentage of the population, be any different?

Edited June 25, 2014 by AuLukey

[tozmervo]

It doesn't have a cross section, but the 2007 University City Area Plan clearly identifies UC Blvd & Harris Blvd as "Parkways" 

 

"The most auto-oriented of the street types primarily designed to move 

motor vehicles efficiently from one part of the larger metropolitan 

area to another and to provide access to major destinations."

[Niner National]

IMO what's horrible about that map is if you look at 49 in University City.  They have plans to widen that sucker to 6 lanes?  Yes, please make the most anti-urban thing you can roll directly in front of the main entrance to one of the largest universities in the state.  And, oh by the way, developers are building somewhat pedestrian oriented development FINALLY on that road, as unfeasible as that may be, and you're going to pretty much just erase any possibility for that to continue into the future.  Good things are beginning to happen to that part of the city with the rise of the BLE and projects like Crescent that actually acknowledge there is a university there. 

 

Yes, I get that there is a ton of traffic there during rush hour because of Harrisburg.  But there must be another way.  The state is turning the university even more into an island by even considering this proposal.

 

I don't even live anywhere near that part of the city anymore and I feel offended by this proposal.

Eh, there are two good projects under development that are both on 49 and not near the BLE.

 

On the blue line extension, we're getting an auto mall, a car wash, and a suburban style gated apartment complex (The Arcadia). Virtually all the land from the 49 spur to campus on Tryon Street is already developed.

 

I have very little hope that BLE does much of anything for UCity. Too many bad decisions have already been made and it will take a decade or more before some of those bad decisions can be erased and that land re-used.

[Niner National]

I believe there is still potential for the immediate area around campus, although it certainly would help if BLE was more accessible from the rest of campus where a majority of the educational buildings are located.  Most of the suburban style development in the area is failing and bound to be replaced within the next couple decades.

I think the BLE is better suited to be near housing than the educational buildings. North Village is where the line will stop and that are has been the focal point of on campus housing (although it has started shifting back towards the south side on 49).

 

There are still a few more large plots of land (currently parking lots) North of existing dorms in the North Village portion of campus that will eventually be even more housing. The school should definitely consider moving the campus shuttle system so that the shuttles serve both the JW Clay and the on-campus station. Maybe even the station where Tryon and 49 split.

 

I actually think the line will lead to more students living outside the university area and closer into the city.

[ah59396]

I think the BLE is better suited to be near housing than the educational buildings. North Village is where the line will stop and that are has been the focal point of on campus housing (although it has started shifting back towards the south side on 49).

There are still a few more large plots of land (currently parking lots) North of existing dorms in the North Village portion of campus that will eventually be even more housing. The school should definitely consider moving the campus shuttle system so that the shuttles serve both the JW Clay and the on-campus station. Maybe even the station where Tryon and 49 split.

I actually think the line will lead to more students living outside the university area and closer into the city.

I sure would.

[MilZ]

I think the BLE is better suited to be near housing than the educational buildings. North Village is where the line will stop and that are has been the focal point of on campus housing (although it has started shifting back towards the south side on 49).

There are still a few more large plots of land (currently parking lots) North of existing dorms in the North Village portion of campus that will eventually be even more housing. The school should definitely consider moving the campus shuttle system so that the shuttles serve both the JW Clay and the on-campus station. Maybe even the station where Tryon and 49 split.

I actually think the line will lead to more students living outside the university area and closer into the city.

My main issue is that the final stop and the jw clay stop are still a good walk from the main campus. I used to live in Laurel, the dorm/apt directly across from the future stop, and although I didn't mind the walk, most of my friends and roommates would insist we wait on the shuttle, rather than trek the hills on hot or cold days. I personally would like if a majority of the vehicle traffic was converted to blue line commuters, but similar to transit riders uptown, people dont enjoy catching 2 rides for every one-way commute, everyday.

And there is no more land around the last stop for more student housing due to the creek.

However, there is no alternative. I just wish the BLE was more accessible to campus.

Edited June 25, 2014 by MilZ

[cowboy_wilhelm]

I've thrown together a map that takes the STI Results for highway projects with a statewide impact and symbolized them based on their score. I think it helps paint a better picture rather than just looking at the numbers. Unfortunately, it is just a static map. I don't have the resources (i.e., server) to publish a service like the NCDOT web map with pop-up results, and labeling would have added too much clutter.

 

I tried to classify the scoring as best as I could while maintaining somewhat logical intervals. Comments, suggestions, and improvements are welcome.

 

Click the image for full resolution (10,200 x 6,600).

 

[Spartan]

IMO what's horrible about that map is if you look at 49 in University City.  They have plans to widen that sucker to 6 lanes?  Yes, please make the most anti-urban thing you can roll directly in front of the main entrance to one of the largest universities in the state.  And, oh by the way, developers are building somewhat pedestrian oriented development FINALLY on that road, as unfeasible as that may be, and you're going to pretty much just erase any possibility for that to continue into the future.  Good things are beginning to happen to that part of the city with the rise of the BLE and projects like Crescent that actually acknowledge there is a university there. 

 

Yes, I get that there is a ton of traffic there during rush hour because of Harrisburg.  But there must be another way.  The state is turning the university even more into an island by even considering this proposal.

 

I don't even live anywhere near that part of the city anymore and I feel offended by this proposal.

 

I hope everyone on UP will do some reasearch on the concept of "superstreets." These are the monstrosities that NCDOT wants to install everywhere (and is) all for the sake of traffic throughput. They are the most simpleminded anti-urban approach to transportation planning you can conceive of aside from an interstate, and that is what they want to install along UC  Blvd.

 

 

 

 

It doesn't have a cross section, but the 2007 University City Area Plan clearly identifies UC Blvd & Harris Blvd as "Parkways" 

 

"The most auto-oriented of the street types primarily designed to move 

motor vehicles efficiently from one part of the larger metropolitan 

area to another and to provide access to major destinations."

 

 

While true, Charlotte's Urban Street Design Guidelines still require that pedestrians an cyclists be accommodated on these streets. Check out the pathway that was recently installed in front of UNCC on UC Blvd between the main entrance and Mallard Creek Church Rd. That is a perfect example of the type of thing that should be installed on vehicle-oriented streets (ie: Parkways).

 

 

 

I've thrown together a map that takes the STI Results for highway projects with a statewide impact and symbolized them based on their score. I think it helps paint a better picture rather than just looking at the numbers. Unfortunately, it is just a static map. I don't have the resources (i.e., server) to publish a service like the NCDOT web map with pop-up results, and labeling would have added too much clutter.

 

I tried to classify the scoring as best as I could while maintaining somewhat logical intervals. Comments, suggestions, and improvements are welcome.

 

Click the image for full resolution (10,200 x 6,600).

 

 

That's actually a pretty cool map, although the STI points are not final though, so itis subject to change. It's also worth mentioning that the intersection projects don't show up very well, and they tend to be at the top of the list. 

[JRNYP2C]

Kind of off topic, but is there anyone who normally drives I-85 south into Gaston county during rush hour each day?  I find it completely insane that practically every day over the past two weeks that there has been some sort of accident near the Belmont-Mt. Holly/Belmont Abbey exit.  The overflow has nowhere to go but Wilkinson Blvd., which has made that a parking lot too.  If this keeps happening, I may HAVE to take a side on getting the Garden Parkway built!

Or maybe this is a plot by some to get the widening of 85 in that area to move a little quicker.....just thinking out loud!