I-40 in North Carolina

[sprjus4]

^ This seems doable, even still with the development, IMO. Convert the frontage roads north of I-40 to one way and serve as the at-grade portion connecting to I-40, and convert the existing mainline into the freeway.

[jdunlop]

^ This seems doable, even still with the development, IMO. Convert the frontage roads north of I-40 to one way and serve as the at-grade portion connecting to I-40, and convert the existing mainline into the freeway.

The MPO is against any grade separations and the freeway conversion.  (That includes the long-standing plans to grade separate Mt. Moriah and SW Durham Pky.). That's why the express design was all-surface street (other than grade separations over I-40.  Chapel Hill's primary objection on the road network is the bridge on the north side of 15-501 connecting New hope Commons and Easttowne.  The reason it was included was for traffic capacity, as pushing all traffic to 15-501 would not work in 2045, the design year.  Has something to do with Chapel hill allowing Easttowne to redevelop, adding ~30K trips a day.  But I'm sure ALL the doctors and professional staff will take the bus to/from the site. (Sarcasm alert.). Chapel Hill wants to protect that open area and remove that connection from the plans.

Chapel Hill and the MPO were aware of the express design process starting back around March but not the details.

[OracleUsr]

Coming back from my in-laws this evening I noticed something I had never noticed before.  Approaching I-40 on NC 209, there is a NC 209 END sign approaching I-40 on southbound, even though 209 continues to US 74.  Was that ever not the case?  I can never remember a time when 209 didn't extend to Business US 23.

[sprjus4]

^ This seems doable, even still with the development, IMO. Convert the frontage roads north of I-40 to one way and serve as the at-grade portion connecting to I-40, and convert the existing mainline into the freeway.

The MPO is against any grade separations and the freeway conversion.  (That includes the long-standing plans to grade separate Mt. Moriah and SW Durham Pky.). That's why the express design was all-surface street (other than grade separations over I-40.  Chapel Hill's primary objection on the road network is the bridge on the north side of 15-501 connecting New hope Commons and Easttowne.  The reason it was included was for traffic capacity, as pushing all traffic to 15-501 would not work in 2045, the design year.  Has something to do with Chapel hill allowing Easttowne to redevelop, adding ~30K trips a day.  But I'm sure ALL the doctors and professional staff will take the bus to/from the site. (Sarcasm alert.). Chapel Hill wants to protect that open area and remove that connection from the plans.

Chapel Hill and the MPO were aware of the express design process starting back around March but not the details.

Why are they opposed to sorely needed overpass upgrades? Traffic is only going to get worse, especially as they approve new developments and thousands of new vehicles, it functions as a freeway connector between Chapel Hill and the existing freeway portion just to the north, but is overloaded by busy traffic signals. The portion north of I-40 has adequate right of way and justification for freeway upgrade. It is stupid to oppose upgrades, and gains no benefit.

[wdcrft63]

Coming back from my in-laws this evening I noticed something I had never noticed before.  Approaching I-40 on NC 209, there is a NC 209 END sign approaching I-40 on southbound, even though 209 continues to US 74.  Was that ever not the case?  I can never remember a time when 209 didn't extend to Business US 23.

You're right, sign is wrong. According to Wikipedia NC 209 is an original NC highway and its southern end has always been in Lake Junaluska.

[jdunlop]

^ This seems doable, even still with the development, IMO. Convert the frontage roads north of I-40 to one way and serve as the at-grade portion connecting to I-40, and convert the existing mainline into the freeway.

The MPO is against any grade separations and the freeway conversion.  (That includes the long-standing plans to grade separate Mt. Moriah and SW Durham Pky.). That's why the express design was all-surface street (other than grade separations over I-40.  Chapel Hill's primary objection on the road network is the bridge on the north side of 15-501 connecting New hope Commons and Easttowne.  The reason it was included was for traffic capacity, as pushing all traffic to 15-501 would not work in 2045, the design year.  Has something to do with Chapel hill allowing Easttowne to redevelop, adding ~30K trips a day.  But I'm sure ALL the doctors and professional staff will take the bus to/from the site. (Sarcasm alert.). Chapel Hill wants to protect that open area and remove that connection from the plans.

Chapel Hill and the MPO were aware of the express design process starting back around March but not the details.

Why are they opposed to sorely needed overpass upgrades? Traffic is only going to get worse, especially as they approve new developments and thousands of new vehicles, it functions as a freeway connector between Chapel Hill and the existing freeway portion just to the north, but is overloaded by busy traffic signals. The portion north of I-40 has adequate right of way and justification for freeway upgrade. It is stupid to oppose upgrades, and gains no benefit.

Their opinion is that everybody should walk/bike/take transit, and encouraging auto travel (more specifically single occupancy) is bad, and needs to stop.

(Opinion voice on). If that's the case, then they should change their zoning and approval practices away from those they end up as being auto-dependent developments.

[Mapmikey]

Coming back from my in-laws this evening I noticed something I had never noticed before.  Approaching I-40 on NC 209, there is a NC 209 END sign approaching I-40 on southbound, even though 209 continues to US 74.  Was that ever not the case?  I can never remember a time when 209 didn't extend to Business US 23.

You're right, sign is wrong. According to Wikipedia NC 209 is an original NC highway and its southern end has always been in Lake Junaluska.

A NC Byway sign fell off.  That was what ends at I-40...
https://goo.gl/maps/9CuTjrGLsh1DCXrd7

[Love2drive]

Interstate 40 West in Greensboro closing this weekend from the 85 split to Freeman Mill Road.  29 South will be closed at the Market Street Exit.

https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2023/2023-06-09-i-40-west-guilford-resurfacing.aspx

[cowboy_wilhelm]

The MPO is against any grade separations and the freeway conversion. [...] Their opinion is that everybody should walk/bike/take transit, and encouraging auto travel (more specifically single occupancy) is bad, and needs to stop.

The same group that is trying to (or has) killed the freeway conversion and interchange for US 70 and Miami Blvd., for the same reasons.

[wdcrft63]

The MPO is against any grade separations and the freeway conversion. [...] Their opinion is that everybody should walk/bike/take transit, and encouraging auto travel (more specifically single occupancy) is bad, and needs to stop.

The same group that is trying to (or has) killed the freeway conversion and interchange for US 70 and Miami Blvd., for the same reasons.

The MPO met today and raised these points exactly. I think WRAL's headline ("drivers upset..." ) is incorrect. Anyone who has to drive regularly through this interchange would like to see it improved.
https://www.wral.com/story/durham-chapel-hill-drivers-upset-over-proposed-redesign-of-us-15-501/20910409/

[The Ghostbuster]

Maybe those who are upset with the proposal are not drivers, but anti-car NIMBYS.

[wdcrft63]

Maybe those who are upset with the proposal are not drivers, but anti-car NIMBYS.

Yes, MPO, we do need to improve public transportation in the Triangle. But show us a way to get GoTriangle buses from Durham to Chapel Hill without improving US 15/501. Being stuck in traffic in a bus is not a big improvement over being stuck in traffic in a car.

[Dirt Roads]

The MPO is against any grade separations and the freeway conversion. [...] Their opinion is that everybody should walk/bike/take transit, and encouraging auto travel (more specifically single occupancy) is bad, and needs to stop.

The same group that is trying to (or has) killed the freeway conversion and interchange for US 70 and Miami Blvd., for the same reasons.

The MPO met today and raised these points exactly. I think WRAL's headline ("drivers upset..." ) is incorrect. Anyone who has to drive regularly through this interchange would like to see it improved.
https://www.wral.com/story/durham-chapel-hill-drivers-upset-over-proposed-redesign-of-us-15-501/20910409/

Indeed.  But the only movement that seems problematic is from [westbound] US-15/501 -to- [southbound] I-40.  Pretty much all day long, nowadays.

[froggie]

Just my $0.02:

• It's hard to get decent signal progression in both directions with a DDI, especially with the spacing of the intersections along 15/501.
• DDI's are not exactly known for being bike/ped friendly.  if NCDOT was intending on a side-path that would be grade separated from the ramps (not unlike I-94/US 75 in Moorhead, MN), this complaint from a bike/ped perspective would have less weight.
• The situation along the 15/501 corridor just shows further why it was foolish to cancel the Chapel Hill-Durham LRT line.  Would it have solved the congestion problems?  No...especially with Easttowne redevelopment.  But it sure as hell would have given people an alternative to get to/from there.

[LM117]

A repaving project on I-40 in Pender County between Exit 388 and Exit 408 will begin on June 19. Completion is expected next summer.

https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2023/2023-06-16-repaving-brunswick-pender-counties.aspx

[Plutonic Panda]

• The situation along the 15/501 corridor just shows further why it was foolish to cancel the Chapel Hill-Durham LRT line.  Would it have solved the congestion problems?  No...especially with Easttowne redevelopment.  But it sure as hell would have given people an alternative to get to/from there.

I can't believe they canceled that. What a dumb short sided move.

[architect77]

• The situation along the 15/501 corridor just shows further why it was foolish to cancel the Chapel Hill-Durham LRT line.  Would it have solved the congestion problems?  No...especially with Easttowne redevelopment.  But it sure as hell would have given people an alternative to get to/from there.

I can't believe they canceled that. What a dumb short sided move.

I am for LRT, but the Durham/CH proposal was not executed right. With 17 stops meandering through neighborhoods trying to pick up riders, it would have taken 1.5 hours to travel from end to end, you can drive back and forth 3-4 times in the same time period.

For that LRT between the 2 cities to work. it needs very few stops, 5 at most, and it must travel at a high speed to beat out driving.[/list]

[Plutonic Panda]

• The situation along the 15/501 corridor just shows further why it was foolish to cancel the Chapel Hill-Durham LRT line.  Would it have solved the congestion problems?  No...especially with Easttowne redevelopment.  But it sure as hell would have given people an alternative to get to/from there.

I can't believe they canceled that. What a dumb short sided move.

I am for LRT, but the Durham/CH proposal was not executed right. With 17 stops meandering through neighborhoods trying to pick up riders, it would have taken 1.5 hours to travel from end to end, you can drive back and forth 3-4 times in the same time period.

For that LRT between the 2 cities to work. it needs very few stops, 5 at most, and it must travel at a high speed to beat out driving.[/list]

Without knowing the exact details of that particular project, I should've worded my post by saying I can't believe they haven't built a metro rail system and canceled that proposed line without any alternatives. If that line wasn't designed right and wouldn't have worked why wasn't something better proposed?

[The Ghostbuster]

I would have preferred a bus rapid transit line than a light rail line. A bus line can be rerouted if there is construction, or some incident happens. I dislike the route inflexibility of rail lines.

[architect77]

• The situation along the 15/501 corridor just shows further why it was foolish to cancel the Chapel Hill-Durham LRT line.  Would it have solved the congestion problems?  No...especially with Easttowne redevelopment.  But it sure as hell would have given people an alternative to get to/from there.

I can't believe they canceled that. What a dumb short sided move.

I am for LRT, but the Durham/CH proposal was not executed right. With 17 stops meandering through neighborhoods trying to pick up riders, it would have taken 1.5 hours to travel from end to end, you can drive back and forth 3-4 times in the same time period.

For that LRT between the 2 cities to work. it needs very few stops, 5 at most, and it must travel at a high speed to beat out driving.[/list]

Without knowing the exact details of that particular project, I should've worded my post by saying I can't believe they haven't built a metro rail system and canceled that proposed line without any alternatives. If that line wasn't designed right and wouldn't have worked why wasn't something better proposed?

The reasons are like this: they had collected a fair amount of revenue and were counting on a federal match. So with a big sum of money, they then sat down and tried to locate a line that would pick up as many passengers as possible. In other words, the need isn't quite there yet for a project that costs that much money. Also they spent many millions on the study itself, an absurd amount that the public decided to put the brakes on, such a waste on an upfront amount for a plan that didn't make a lot of sense.

You need two locations that thousands are travelling back and forth to everyday with driving being an extreme hassle to make the train look like a pleasing alternative. Maybe the commuter train initiative will happen eventually. I still would love for a Durham/CH line to happen though.

[Dirt Roads]

• The situation along the 15/501 corridor just shows further why it was foolish to cancel the Chapel Hill-Durham LRT line.  Would it have solved the congestion problems?  No...especially with Easttowne redevelopment.  But it sure as hell would have given people an alternative to get to/from there.

I can't believe they canceled that. What a dumb short sided move.

I am for LRT, but the Durham/CH proposal was not executed right. With 17 stops meandering through neighborhoods trying to pick up riders, it would have taken 1.5 hours to travel from end to end, you can drive back and forth 3-4 times in the same time period.

For that LRT between the 2 cities to work. it needs very few stops, 5 at most, and it must travel at a high speed to beat out driving.

Without knowing the exact details of that particular project, I should've worded my post by saying I can't believe they haven't built a metro rail system and canceled that proposed line without any alternatives. If that line wasn't designed right and wouldn't have worked why wasn't something better proposed?

The reasons are like this: they had collected a fair amount of revenue and were counting on a federal match. So with a big sum of money, they then sat down and tried to locate a line that would pick up as many passengers as possible. In other words, the need isn't quite there yet for a project that costs that much money. Also they spent many millions on the study itself, an absurd amount that the public decided to put the brakes on, such a waste on an upfront amount for a plan that didn't make a lot of sense.

You need two locations that thousands are travelling back and forth to everyday with driving being an extreme hassle to make the train look like a pleasing alternative. Maybe the commuter train initiative will happen eventually. I still would love for a Durham/CH line to happen though.

Forgive me for posting this response in the wrong thread.  You are correct that Triangle Transit (dba GoTriangle, formerly Triangle Transit Authority) has been collecting a great deal of tax revenue from auto registrations in Wake, Durham and Orange counties for more than 20 years, primarily for the development of some form of rail transit somewhere in the region.  One of the big issues here is that we have two Municipal Organizations that after the failed TTA Regional Rail System they mutually decided they should work independently of each other to develop "their own piece of the regional rail network".  But on our end, DCHCMPO (Durham/Chapel Hill/Carrboro Municipal Planning Organization) was pressured by transit-friendly Orange County to add Chapel Hill to "their own piece of the regional rail network".  The original TTA Regional Rail did include a long-term branch line from Research Triangle Park -to- Chapel Hill, but it didn't directly connect Durham and Chapel Hill.  Since that was impractical with "regional rail", LRT was selected as the backup option.  BRT seems trendy in Raleigh now, but that doesn't seem so desirable for a corridor that already has multiple bus services in place (even though an express busway would probably be very successful).

Cross-posting to the Raleigh-Durham Rail Transit thread.  Please post any replies there and we can get into more detailed questions and answers.

[ARMOURERERIC]

On I40 just east of exit 116, there has been an area of high enforcement.  Today, i saw for the first time, a portable overhead gantry over both lanes that appeared to monitor speed and possible photo license plates.

[sprjus4]

On I40 just east of exit 116, there has been an area of high enforcement.  Today, i saw for the first time, a portable overhead gantry over both lanes that appeared to monitor speed and possible photo license plates.

Is this some small town speed trap frenzy to make some revenue, because they have a few thousand feet of I-40 that skirts the edge of their small border?

[ARMOURERERIC]

Don't think so, this is just before the closed exit to the abandoned rest area where the state troopers usually hide.

[fillup420]

On I40 just east of exit 116, there has been an area of high enforcement.  Today, i saw for the first time, a portable overhead gantry over both lanes that appeared to monitor speed and possible photo license plates.

I saw whats likely the same thing on I-40/85 eastbound exit 138 a couple weeks ago. Temporary overhead gantry placed about 1/2 mile before the exit. Troopers were lined up on the entrance ramp waiting to ruin people's day.

This also helped me confirm that the NO TRUCKS OVER 3 AXLES IN LEFT TWO LANES rule is not enforced at all