NC 73 TRANSPORTATION/LAND USE CORRIDOR STUDY

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NC 73 TRANSPORTATION/LAND USE CORRIDOR
STUDY American Planning Association
Conference March 20, 2005
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PARTICIPATING CITIES, COUNTIES AND AGENCIES
Cabarrus County Mecklenburg County Lincoln
County Concord Kannapolis Davidson
Huntersville Cornelius Mecklenburg-Union
MPO/ Cabarrus- Rowan MPO/ Lake Norman RPO
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INSERT SLIDE THAT SHOWS BETTER MAP OF REGION AND
WHERE NC 73 IS IN RELATION TO CHARLOTTE AND I-85
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• WHY A PLAN FOR
• NC 73 IS NEEDED?
• NC 73 is the regions only major east-west
  highway alternative to I-85
• Located in rapidly growing area

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THE FACTS GROWTH RATES 1990-2000 Cabarrus
County- 32.5 Lincoln County- 26.8 Mecklenburg
County- 36.0 Nearly 900,000 persons live in the
three counties
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• MORE FACTS ...
• ADT
• Population Between 2000-2020, population to
  double from 105,000 to 218,000

Add picture of Birkdale
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• MORE FACTS
• No Unified Vision/Regulations
• Cabarrus County Thoroughfare Plan calls for 120
  Wide Road No funding for improvements
• Mecklenburg- Union MPO 2025 Plan calls for 100
  Wide Road Funding ANTICIPATED BY 2025 for
  partial stretch between Davidson/ Concord Road
  and I-77 ONLY.
• 1991 Lincoln County Thoroughfare Plan does not
  specifically call for any major improvements on
  NC 73.
• NCDOT TIP calls for widening of NC 73 but there
  is no funding available.

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• MORE FACTS...
• Study Area lies in 2 MPOs/1 RPO

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• PROJECT HISTORY
• In 1990s, local chambers of commerce foresaw a
  need to form a unified vision for the NC 73
  corridor.
• Chambers recognized a need to speed up NCDOT
  funding for major improvements on NC 73.
• Town of Davidson invited Centralina to convene
  stakeholders and move the project forward in late
  2001.

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• PROJECT HISTORY
• COG working with local stakeholders and NCDOT in
  2002 developed work plan and secured funding.
• 11 firms bid on Study 4 firms interviewed
  Charlotte office of HNTB selected.
• 320,000 in local and NCDOT funds.
• COG managed project.

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• WHAT DID THE 8 LOCAL GOVERNMENTS GET?
• A UNIFIED PLAN FOR THE NC 73 CORRIDOR that
  addresses
• ? the integration of transportation with
  LOCAL land use policies and projections
• ? what improvements are needed
• ? curb-cut/access management
  policies
• ? bicycle lanes, sidewalks
• ? transit and multi-modal needs
• AND...

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WHAT DID THE REGION GET?

• A unified voice for the NC 73 corridor
• Model for transportation/ land use planning along
  along NC 73 and other nearby roads.
• Coordinated planning efforts along NC 73 through
  a Council of Planning.
• Better position for receiving NCDOT funding.

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• PROJECT COMPONENTS
• Land Use/Transportation and Environmental
  Inventory
• Existing and Projected Conditions and
  Deficiencies
• Alternative Scenario Development
• Development of Corridor Plan
• Implementation Strategies
• Adoption of Plan and MOU creation of a Council
  of Planning between NCDOT and 8 local
  governments, MPOs/RPO.

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• COUNCIL OF PLANNING
• Meets quarterly to discuss growth issues along
  the Corridor
• Tracks growth and development
• Allows for input by local governments on major
  projects/conditional uses/ordinance amendments
• Funded by local governments
• Administered by COG

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FOR MORE INFORMATION... Bill Duston, AICP
Centralina COG [phone] bduston_at_centralina.
org Donal Simpson, FAICP HNTB (704)
372-8020 Dsimpson_at_hntb.com
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