MPO makes its list for '14
By Steve Herring
Published in News on December 26, 2013 1:46 PM
The Goldsboro Metropolitan Transportation Organization has picked consultants for two projects for approval by the Goldsboro City Council.
The city has a say in the choice of consultants for the two projects because the city is helping fund them. They are updating the MPO's long range transportation plan and creating a new Bicycle, Pedestrian and Greenway plan.
MPOs are created by the federal government and charged with transportation planning. They do not have any authority beyond planning.
The Goldsboro MPO includes the city and much of central Wayne County, including the Walnut Creek and Pikeville areas.
The MPO is recommending that the Council hire URS of Morrisville to conduct the MPO's long range transportation plan update.
The city is acting as the lead planning agency for the MPO and had asked that requests for qualifications be sought from companies interested in the projects. Two other companies responded, Kimley-Horn and Associates of Cary and VHB of Raleigh.
URS was recommended, MPO officials said, because it appeared the company could devote more attention to the update than the other two companies.
Goldsboro is also the lead planning agency for the MPO's Bicycle, Pedestrian and Greenway plan.
Three companies responded to the request for qualifications -- Renaissance Planning Group of Durham, Stewart of Raleigh and Alta/Greenways of Durham.
Alta was recommended because of its extensive experience that includes work on the state's Mountain to the Sea Trail.
Changes as to how the state will prioritize transportation projects and funding require that both MPOs and Rural Planning Organizations draft new needs lists for highway, bicycle/multiuse facilities and pedestrian projects.
The list was open for 30 days for public comment to allow the public to make suggestions. There were no suggestions for the highways on the list, but city staff did suggest some additional greenways for the bicycle/multiuse projects.
The list of proposed highway projects under consideration is as follows:
* Widening Wayne Memorial Drive between New Hope Road and the new U.S. 70 Bypass
* Widening North Berkeley Boulevard between New Hope Road and Hood Swamp Road
* Widening U.S. 13 North between Hood Swamp and Saulston roads
* Realigning Central Heights Road at Royall Avenue
* Widening New Hope Road between Wayne Memorial Drive and Millers Chapel Road
* Upgrade Ash Street (U.S. 70 Business) from Berkeley Boulevard to existing U.S. 70 Bypass
* U.S. 117 from N.C. 55 north to include a new relocation south of U.S. 70 including an interchange at N.C. 581 (Ash Street) and designation as Interstate 795
* Interchange at U.S. 117 South and O'Berry Road (the state already has authorized funding for the design work)
* Widening Mark Edwards Road from New Hope Road to the new U.S. 70 Bypass
* Widening New Hope Road from Patetown Road to Wayne Memorial Drive.
Proposed bicycle/multiuse projects are:
* Central Heights Road (construct paved shoulder from Berkeley Boulevard to New Hope Road)
* Wayne Memorial Drive (construct paved shoulder from New Hope Road to Tommy's Road)
* New Hope Road (construct multi-use path from Wayne Memorial Drive to Patetown Road)
* Berkeley Boulevard (construct wide outside lane from Tommy's Road to New Hope Road)
* Tommy's Road (construct paved shoulder from Berkeley Boulevard to Patetown Road)
* Old Mount Olive Highway (construct paved shoulder from U.S. 117 to Parker Road)
* N.C. 581 (construct paved shoulder from George Street to Rosewood Road).
Proposed greenway projects are:
* 10-foot wide boardwalk from Elm Street to Slocumb Street along Stoney Creek
* 10-foot wide asphalt from U.S. 70 to Royall Avenue
* Bridge over U.S. 70
* Mountains to Sea Trail
Proposed pedestrian projects are:
* Royall Avenue (construct new sidewalk on north side from William Street to Spence Avenue)
* Harris Street (construct new sidewalk on south side from Slocumb Street to Stoney Creek Parkway)
* Berkeley Boulevard (construct new sidewalk on both sides from Ash Street to Elm Street)
* Spence Avenue (construct new sidewalk on both sides from existing 70 Bypass to Ash Street)
* Central Heights Road (construct new sidewalk on both sides from Berkeley Blvd. to New Hope Road)
* Royall Avenue (construct new sidewalk on north side from Spence Avenue to Berkeley Boulevard)
* John Street (construct new sidewalk on east side from Elm Street to Dixie Trail)
* Elm Street (construct new sidewalk on both sides from Slocumb to Berkeley Boulevard)
* Herman Street (construct new sidewalk on both sides from Royall Avenue to Beech Street).