Transportation Plan - 2009, amended

3.1 Roadways cont’d While Figure 3.2 tells a story about the travel conditions in Mor- risville, it doesn’t tell a complete story about the other parts of a transportation system that have to work together to achieve the goals of a community. The design of the streets, how well they interact with the neighboring homes and businesses, how friendly they are to cyclists, pedestrians, public transportation patrons; and how well they can accommodate the needs of changing demographics and external forces must also weigh heavily in any recommendation to make improvements to the street system. Fol- lowing are brief descriptions of the east-west and north-south cor- ridors in Morrisville, as well as the neighborhoods that they serve (Figure 3.7). For detailed information on current conditions for major roadways, including lane widths and adjacent land uses, please see Appendix E. North-South Corridors NC 54 (Chapel Hill Road) is the major north-south route through town and some segments operate at a low level of service dur- ing the peak rush-hour periods. The roadway is bounded by a railroad (Norfolk Southern) on the west, often lying entirely within the right-of-way of the rail company. The most congested inter- sections are along this most congested of roadways, especially Aviation Parkway/Morrisville-Carpenter Road. This intersection has been redesigned and is slated for improvements that include carrying four lanes across the railroad. Davis Drive, Town Hall Drive and Church Street comprise the re- mainder of the local north-south corridors. Although only small portions of Davis Drive are within the Town limits, it nevertheless connects commercial areas at intersections (Areas H and E in Figure 3.7) and provides access to Research Triangle Park to the north and Cary to the south. Davis Drive is planned to eventu- ally become a six-lane roadway with parallel bicycle/pedestrian multi-use paths, but it is currently being widened to four lanes. Town Hall Drive is a four-lane boulevard (portions with a narrow median) connecting McCrimmon Parkway and Morrisville-Car- penter Road. Town Hall Drive serves as the primary connector for the governmental uses in Area F, residences in the Shiloh Area (I), and Cedar Fork and Montessori Elementary Schools near Area G. Church Street is one of the oldest streets in town, with two lanes

Area Labels: Area A - Kitts Creek Subdivision Area B - Morrisville Outlet Mall Area C - Town Center Area D - Cary Parkway at NC 54 Area E - Davis Drive @ Morrisville-Carpenter Road Area F - Town Government buildings Area G - Cedar Fork and Montessori schools Area H - Davis Drive @ McCrimmon Parkway Area I - Shiloh Historic Area

connecting quiet residential neighborhoods in the south, under NC 540 to the Kitts Creek Subdivision (Area A) and into Durham. Conflicts with the railroad and poor geometry at the NC 54 intersection in Durham have prompted the eventual closing of the street to di- rect access to NC 54, with significant ramifications for the residents in Area A. Finally, Inter- state 40 , although not within the Town limits, serves a bypass function similar to that of Davis Drive. Apart from carrying heavy loads of through-traffic around NC 54, this road currently serves Route 301, the Triangle Transit’s regional bus route with service to Morrisville. East-West Corridors Although Morrisville is well-served by north-south routes, east-west connectivity remains a major issue with the transportation system. The effect of the barrier created by the Norfolk Southern rail line cannot be overstated; currently the Town is limited to at-grade crossings at Church Street (soon to be closed), Barbee Road (soon to be closed), McCrimmon Park- way, Aviation Parkway/Morrisville-Carpenter Road, and Morrisville Parkway. NC 540 and Cary Parkway cross the railroad on grade separated bridges, but can only be reached at the far north and south ends via the most congested roadway in the Town (NC 54). The NC 540 grade separation does not allow drivers on Church Street to cross the railroad be- cause all ramps to NC 540 are accessed from the east side of NC 54. McCrimmon Parkway is a two-lane road that connects residential Areas I and G, and pro- vides access to residents of Area A across the railroad and to NC 54. Many travelers make the “S-shaped” movement onto Perimeter Park Drive to reach Airport Bou- levard and then I-40. While McCrimmon Parkway will eventually have four lanes of traffic, it is currently an over-capacity, two-lane facility.

Morrisville-Carpenter Road and Morrisville Parkway each connect (gen- erally) residential communities not only in Morrisville but also the rapidly growing northwest area of Cary. Morrisville-Carpenter Road is a two-lane road that is developing sporadically into a four-lane roadway, while the four-lane Morrisville Parkway’s median-divided cross-section mirrors that of Cary Parkway to the east. Cary Parkway is within the town limits for only a short stretch, but provides access for Morrisville and Cary residents to major existing and upcoming retail shopping in Area D. Aviation Parkway and Airport Boulevard are transitioning two-lane road- ways that will eventually become four lanes. Aviation Parkway connects the Town Center Plan area (Area C) to offices and Lake Crabtree County Park to the northeast and I-40. A major “choke point” is the causeway crossing of Lake Crabtree just east of the Town limits, which currently has two lanes with no shoulder or sidewalk. Airport Boulevard has a high con- centration of retail shopping (Morrisville Outlet Mall in Area B) and hotels to serve airport customers, but is anchored by gas stations at the western terminus with NC 54.

Widening of Davis Drive to four lanes in spring 2008.

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3 Existing Conditions