From: Bruce Rosar

The Triangle Greenways Council (TGC) is seeking support from Governor Hunt for the construction by NCDOT of multi-use trail connectors alongside certain commuter routes to and from RTP. These connectors are being marketed as "Bicycle Transportation Corridors". Unfortunately this plan does not include improvements that would make bicycling on the roadways easier (such as wide outside through lanes) or more convenient (such as traffic lights that will respond to bicycles).

The plan does include using the right-of-way of those roads, and over 2 million dollars in transportation funds, to construct connectors between multi-use trails (greenways). These connectors would funnel various types of trail users onto 4 foot wide paved surfaces immediately adjacent to the roadways.

The accident rate on bicycle paths is more than twice that of roadways. Multi-use trails are, on average, even more hazardous for cyclists. Since these trail connectors are planned to be on the roadway shoulders, users would have to cross vehicle lanes at each junction. Junctions are where the great majority of collisions occur. The routing of these multi-use trails through the junctions of those commuter routes would create one of the most dangerous facilities for bicycling in the area.

In the near future (perhaps very near!), the TGC will send a final version of their petition to Governor Hunt. The North Carolina Bicycle Club is listed in the letter as supporting the TGC's request that NCDOT allocate funding to complete the planning and begin construction of these corridors. The Tarwheels Bicycle Club has been asked to also support the plan.

I strongly recommend that cyclists and their clubs decline to support the plan until it is rewritten to include improvements for easier and more convenient cycling on the roadways. Such improvements should include (at a minimum) wide outside through lanes (14 feet or wider) and traffic signals that can reliably detect bicycles on the roadway.

March 16, 2000

The Honorable Governor James B. Hunt, Jr.
Office of the Governor
116 West Jones Street
Raleigh, NC 27603-8001

Re: Bicycle Transportation Corridors into RTP

Dear Governor Hunt:

In September of 1998, Secretary Norris Tolson directed the NCDOT to develop ideas to alleviate congestion in the area of RTP. Finding viable methods to reduce traffic and congestion ñ Travel Demand Management - into and out of the Research Triangle Park is a No.1 concern for employers, commuters and regional elected officials. A new study commissioned by NC Department of Transportation (NCDOT) asserts rush hour traffic could be reduced by as much as 2 to 3 percent by modifying three commuter routes. Experts say that traffic reduction in the order of 2-3% would make a visible and helpful difference in commuter congestion. The centerpiece of the traffic reduction plan is to create bicycle transportation corridors from surrounding residential areas to the RTP. Eleven routes were studied in a recent study commissioned by NCDOT and the following three were chosen as a first priority:

Cornwallis Rd. (1 Mile in length) - $ 184,000.00
Davis Dr. (7 Miles in length) - $1,100,000.00
Alexander Dr. (5 Miles in length) - $1,236,079.00

The study also asserts all three of these roads can be up-fitted for bicycle transportation by widening the paved shoulders to 4 feet. The cost of all three projects would be $2.5 million. Implementation of this plan will reduce rush hour congestion, improve Triangle air pollution, promote physical activity, and make the Triangle a national leader in creating true transportation alternatives.

Once complete, these corridors would also connect to the 200 mile network of interconnected, non-motorized trails proposed by the Triangle Greenways Council and currently under construction in many communities.

Enclosed are the pages from the study ìTriangle Area Bicycle Facilities Needs Study, Alternatives to Commuting along I-40î commissioned by NCDOT and completed in August of 1999. This study discusses, 1) the current conditions of the road corridors, 2) the proposed changes and 3) the funding required.

The following organizations support the study and are requesting that NCDOT allocate the funding to complete planning and begin construction of these corridors.

Thank you for your continued interest in looking into alternatives to reduce traffic, improve pollution, promote physical activity in the Triangle.

Respectfully Yours:
Sig Hutchinson, Triangle Greenways Council

Triangle Greenways Council
Sierra Club Capital Group
Sierra Club Orange-Chatham Group
Sierra Club Headwaters Group
Triangle Smart Growth Coalition
Triangle Rails-to-Trails Conservancy
Be Active North Carolina
North Carolina Bicycle Club
NC Fats
North Raleigh Mountain Biking Association


Cc: Secretary David McCoy
Asst. Sect. David King
Curtis Yates, Director of Bicycle/Pedestrian Division, NCDOT


Triangle Area Bicycle Facilities Need Study, Alternative to Commuting along I-40

Prepared for: The North Carolina Department of Transportation Division of Bicycle and pedestrian Transportation

Prepared by: Barbara H. Mulkey Engineering, Inc. August, 1999