PROJECT COMMITMENTS East End Connector From NC 147 (Durham Freeway) to North of NC 98 (Holloway Street) Durham, Durham County Federal Aid Project No. NHF-76-1(2) State Project No. 8.1351501 TIP Project No. U-0071 The following special commitments have been agreed to by NCDOT: PDEA / Roadway Design A design noise study and subsequent sound barrier design will be performed during the final roadway design phase of this project. A preliminary traffic noise analysis was performed as part of this document preparation and locations of noise sensitive areas were documented. No new noise sensitive areas will be identified or barrier locations added after the date of public knowledge, which corresponds with the approval of the project’s final environmental document. The NCDOT and the City of Durham are reviewing locations within the project limits where sidewalks and bicycle lanes would be beneficial and are developing an appropriate cost sharing agreement for these improvements. PDEA/Division 5 The NCDOT will mitigate the use of parkland from C. R. Wood Park by paving the C. R. Wood parking lot and/or tennis courts, in coordination with the City of Durham Parks and Recreation Department. FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION 1 EAST END CONNECTOR NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION OCTOBER 2009 TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE 1.0 Purpose of and Need for the Project ................................................................................... 1-1 1.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................... 1-1 1.2 Proposed Action ............................................................................................................. 1-2 1.3 Project Description ......................................................................................................... 1-2 1.4 System Linkage .............................................................................................................. 1-4 1.4.1 Existing Roadway Network .................................................................................. 1-4 1.4.2 Proposed Roadway Improvements ...................................................................... 1-4 1.4.3 Modal Interrelationship ......................................................................................... 1-6 1.4.3.1 Railroads ............................................................................................... 1-6 1.4.3.2 Airports .................................................................................................. 1-7 1.4.3.3 Transit ................................................................................................... 1-7 1.5 Summary of Need for Proposed Action .......................................................................... 1-7 1.6 Purpose of Need for Proposed Action .......................................................................... 1-10 1.7 Conclusion ................................................................................................................... 1-12 2.0 Description of Alternatives Considered .............................................................................. 2-1 2.1 No-Build Alternative ....................................................................................................... 2-1 2.2 Improve Existing Roadways Alternative ......................................................................... 2-1 2.3 Transportation Management Alternative ........................................................................ 2-1 2.4 Alternative Transportation Modes .................................................................................. 2-2 2.5 Build Alternatives ........................................................................................................... 2-2 2.5.1 Design Features ................................................................................................. 2-2 2.5.1.1 Roadway Design Criteria ..................................................................... 2-2 2.5.1.2 Typical Section .................................................................................... 2-3 2.5.1.3 Access Control ..................................................................................... 2-3 2.5.2 Preliminary Corridors .......................................................................................... 2-6 2.5.2.1 Description of Preliminary Corridors .................................................... 2-6 2.5.2.2 Alternative Impacts .............................................................................. 2-7 2.6 Traffic Operations Analyses ......................................................................................... 2-13 2.6.1 Year 2035 Traffic Projections ........................................................................... 2-13 2.6.2 Freeway Mainline Capacity Analysis ................................................................ 2-15 2.6.3 Freeway Merge/Diverge Capacity Analysis ...................................................... 2-15 2.6.4 Freeway Weaving Capacity Analysis ............................................................... 2-20 2.6.5 Freeway Ramp Capacity Analysis .................................................................... 2-21 2.6.6 Intersection Capacity Analysis.......................................................................... 2-22 2.6.7 Traffic Demand on local Roadways .................................................................. 2-23 2.6.8 Conclusions ...................................................................................................... 2-25 2.7 Detailed Study Alternative(s) ........................................................................................ 2-25 3.0 Existing Environments ......................................................................................................... 3-1 3.1 Human and Physical Environment Characteristics ........................................................ 3-1 3.1.1 Population Characteristics .................................................................................. 3-1 3.1.1.1 Population Profile ............................................................................... 3-1 3.1.1.2 Racial/Ethnic Composition ................................................................. 3-3 3.1.2 Economic Characteristics ................................................................................... 3-4 3.1.2.1 Employment ....................................................................................... 3-5 3.1.2.2 Income ............................................................................................... 3-6 3.1.2.3 Commuting Patterns........................................................................... 3-6 3.1.3 Neighborhoods ................................................................................................... 3-8 i TABLE OF CONTENTS, (continued…) PAGE 3.1.4 Community Facilities and Services..................................................................... 3-8 3.1.4.1 Educational Facilities........................................................................ 3-11 3.1.4.2 Religious Institutions ........................................................................ 3-11 3.1.4.3 Health Care Facilities ....................................................................... 3-11 3.1.4.4 Government and Public Safety Facilities .......................................... 3-11 3.1.4.5 Cultural Facilities .............................................................................. 3-11 3.1.4.6 Parks/Recreational and Community Facilities .................................. 3-11 3.1.5 Noise ......................................................................................................... 3-12 3.1.5.1 Characteristics of Noise ................................................................... 3-13 3.1.5.2 Traffic Noise Measurement and Modeling ........................................ 3-13 3.1.6 Air Quality ......................................................................................................... 3-16 3.1.7 Farmlands ........................................................................................................ 3-17 3.1.8 Utilities ......................................................................................................... 3-17 3.1.9 Visual Environment .......................................................................................... 3-17 3.1.10 Hazardous Materials ........................................................................................ 3-17 3.1.11 Floodplains/ Floodways .................................................................................... 3-21 3.1.12 Parks, Recreational lands, and Wildlife Refuges.............................................. 3-21 3.2 Cultural Resources ....................................................................................................... 3-21 3.2.1 Historic Architectural Resources ...................................................................... 3-21 3.2.2 Archaeological Resources ................................................................................ 3-23 3.3 Land Use and Transportation Planning ........................................................................ 3-23 3.3.1 Land Use Plans ................................................................................................ 3-23 3.3.1.1 Existing Land Use and Zoning Characteristics ................................. 3-24