Transportation Plan - 2009, amended

Appendices

A ppendix G. C rabtree C rossing P arkway E xtension , cont ’ d

sylvanica ), loblolly pine ( Pinus taeda ), and sycamore ( Platanus occidentalis ). The shrub strata was highly invaded with Chinese privet ( Ligustrum sinense ). Wildlife sighted by direct observa- tion included an individual barred owl ( Strix varia ) and a herd of whitetail deer ( Odocoileus virginianus ). Raccoons ( Procyon lotor ) were identified by tracks and scat. Emergency Response . One reason for increasing connectivity in the town is to facilitate emergency response (police, fire, ambu- lance) service when alternative roadways are congested. At the request of the Town Council, the town staff presented the information in Figure G.4 regarding the change in emergency response times with and without the connection created by the CCPE project.

Start Point

End Point

Distance

Travel Time 3:56 / 2:52

Fire Station #1 (150 Town Hall Drive) Fire Station #1 (150 Town Hall Drive) Fire Station #1 (150 Town Hall Drive) Fire Station #1 / Fire Station #2 Fire Station #1 (with NC 54 Shut Down)

Morrisville Aquatics Center (1301 Morrisville Pkwy)

2.3 / 1.7 miles

Crabtree Crossing Pkwy at Morrisville Pkwy Morrisville Pkwy Elementary School

1.9 / 0.9 miles

3:18 / 1:29

1.9 / 2.0 miles

3:18 / 3:26

Morrisville Manor

1.7 / 3.1 / 1.9 miles 2:51 / 5:16 / 3:11

Morrisville Manor

6.3 / 1.9 miles

10:48 / 3:11

Design and Construction . The existing portion of Crabtree Cross- ing Parkway south of Morrisville Parkway is a very wide, two-lane street with a planted median. Residents have cited speeding, hazardous crossing conditions (including for golf carts south of Morrisville Parkway) and sight distance issues, which led to the installation of traffic calming measures between 1997 and 2002. There have been eight reported accidents in Morrisville between the southern terminus of the proposed Crabtree Crossing Park- way Extension and Ridge Creek Drive between 2004 and early 2008. Most are sideswipe, turning, or fixed-object reports, with one reporting an injury. Specifically, the following design elements and language were incorporated into the draft 2009 Transportation Plan to address these issues. • The design of the proposed CCPE project in the 2009 Transportation Plan took into account the concerns about negative neighborhood impacts expressed by sever- al citizens during the planning process by designing for a lower volume and speed limit. The proposed roadway was reduced from a four-lane cross-section to a two- lane cross-section. This cross-section is very comparable to the two-lane section to the south of Morrisville Parkway, but quite different from the four-lane, divided cross-section of Town Hall Drive to the north. • The proposed cross-section would accommodate both bicycle lanes as well as sidewalks for non-motorized traffic, as well as provide additional pedestrian and bicycle connectivity to the large residential developments to the south and the shopping, schools, and other uses to the north. • The Transportation Plan included language supporting traffic calming at the south end of the roadway (existing Crabtree Crossing Parkway) and a roundabout at Wolfsnare Lane (see Figure G.5) to help slow through traffic. • The priority of the proposed roadway was intentionally set lower than capacity improvements for major north-south roadways to provide through traffic less incen- tive to find alternative routes through this area. The rough cost estimate for completing the CCPE project, which is subject to change based upon additional engineering refinements that would normally occur during a de- sign phase of work, is $7.7 million.

Without CCPE | With CCPE | From Fire Station #2

Figure G.4 Estimated Emergency Response Times With and Without CCPE Source: Town of Morrisville staff

Existing roadway

Resolution. Much discussion during the review process for the 2009 Transportation Plan with the Planning and Zoning Board and the Town Council focused on the potential impacts of the proposed Crabtree Crossing Parkway Extension. Many members of the public ex- pressed concern about traffic impacts from the project, despite the narrower cross-sec- tion, delayed timeframe and traffic calming measures included in the draft Transportation Plan. Information regarding the positive im- pact to emergency response times and the benefits of additional connectivity in the town were also the subject of much discussion with the boards. The Town Council ultimately de- cided in March 2008 to remove the proposed CCPE project, but retain a greenway in that location to allow bicycle and pedestrian ac- cess.

With proposed improvements

Figure G.5 Crabtree Crossing Parkway Extension Illustration

G-2

G Crabtree Crossing