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Citizen's Informational Workshop documents for the proposed SR 1978 (HOPSON ROAD) grade seperation, The North Carolina Railroad/Norfolk Southern track realignment, and the CHURCH STREET rail crossing closure and street extension

The NCDOT is proposing to convert the exsisting rail crossing of Hopson Road and the NCRR/NS track into a grade seperated crossing which will potentially include bridging either the railroad over the road or the road over the railroad. This grade seperation has been deemed necessary in order to reduce the potential for accidents between automobiles and freight/passenger trains.

The NCDOT is also proposing to reroute the Church Street and NC 54 intersection due to the high risk of potential accidents between trains and automobiles, poor geometrics and road angles, and sight distances. This intersection has been identified as dangerous and Church Street is proposed to be rerouted to meet up with Hopson Road.

Please click here for more information and maps.

Please click here for comment and response forms and contact information.

Proposed Morrisville Rail Crossing Improvements

The NCDOT Rail Division is proposing some improvements at the rail crossings at Carpenter Fire Station Road (SR 1624) and Morrisville-Carpenter Road (SR 3014) which will include new grade separations for the railroad as well as the addition of turn lanes. These improvements are being proposed in order to provide safer and more efficient traffic service. The NCDOT is proposing construction on only one rail crossing/road at a time so that travelers will be able to use the other as a detour route for the duration of construction. Click here for more information and maps.

Land Use & Transportation Plan Updates

Morrisville is updating Its Land Use and Transportation Plans - Take the time to be involved your community!  As most people in Morrisville will tell you, transportation is one of the biggest issues facing our rapidly growing community. The Town is taking the time to address how the community wants to grow in the next 10-15 years, and where transportation improvements should occur. These plans will impact how you live, work, shop, and travel.  Click here for more info!

Kit Creek Road Reconnection

Updated 10/17/08

The Town has new information regarding the reconnection of Kit Creek Road as a part of the N.C. Turnpike Authority’s Triangle Parkway project. At the request of the Planning and Zoning Board (PZB) and the Town Council (TC), the Town commissioned consultants to study and analyze multiple options for the reconnection, and will be hosting two Open Houses to share the findings and answer questions.

View information from the Open House.

A decision by the Town Council is possible at their October 28th Business Session, beginning at 6:30pm at Town Hall, 100 Town Hall Drive.

NOTICE OF A CITIZENS INFORMATIONAL WORKSHOP FOR THE PROPOSED SR 1978 (HOPSON ROAD) GRADE SEPARATION, THE NORTH CAROLINA RAILROAD/NORFOLK SOUTHERN TRACK REALIGNMENT, AND THE CHURCH STREET RAIL CROSSING CLOSURE AND STREET EXTENSION

TIP Project No. Y-4117B / U-4716

The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) will hold the above Citizens Informational Workshop on Thursday, October 30, 2008, between the hours of 5:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. at the Comfort Suites Hotel RTP/RDU - in the Tarheel Room, located at 5219 Page Road, Durham, 27703.

Maps depicting the proposed project will be on display and NCDOT representatives will be available in an informal setting to answer questions and receive comments regarding the proposed project. The opportunity to submit written comments or questions will also be provided. Interested citizens may attend at any time during the above mentioned hours. Please note: there will not be a formal presentation.

NCDOT proposes to convert the existing rail crossing of SR 1978 (Hopson Road) and the North Carolina Railroad/Norfolk Southern (NCRR/NS) track into a grade separated crossing. A grade separation means using a bridge to separate intersecting roads and/or railroads. The proposed grade separation is part of an effort to reduce the number of redundant and/or unsafe rail-highway at-grade crossings statewide. In addition, the NCRR/NS track will be realigned to provide better railroad operations. Also included as part of the proposed project is the Church Street rail crossing closure and street extension.

Anyone desiring additional information may contact Mr. Marc Hamel, Environmental & Planning Branch, Rail Division at 1553 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-1553, phone (919) 733-7245 ext 270, or email mhamel@ncdot.gov.

NCDOT will provide auxiliary aids and services under the Americans with Disabilities Act for disabled persons who wish to participate in this workshop. Anyone requiring special services should contact Mr. Hamel as early as possible so that arrangements can be made.

ROAD PROJECTS

(Most of the below roadway projects include sidewalks and bicycle facilities).

Projected Completion Date: July 2009

The Town of Morrisville is adding turn lanes and extending existing turn lanes.

The intersection of Morrisville Carpenter Road and NC54 is being improved!  The improvements will include: Addition of right turn lane from Morrisville Carpenter Road to NC54; Addition of right turn lane from NC 54 to Aviation Parkway; Addition of right turn lane from NC 54 to Morrisville Carpenter Road.  Click here to see a map of the changes.
 

What's happened so far:

- Relocation of the Pugh House

- Right-of-way Acquisition

- Construction Contract Awarded

- Obtain permit from North Carolina Railroad Company

- Notice to Proceed issued to Contractor (June 08)

- Pre-Construction Meeting (July 08)

- Begin Construction (July 08)

What's left to do:

- Complete Construction (July 09)

In order to get the additional lane over the railroad tracks, the Town had to give up the two lanes crossing the railroad tracks at Barbee Road.  Barbee Road is required to be closed within six months of the completion of the intersection improvements at NC 54 and Morrisville-Carpenter Road.

Related Links:

Click here to view the “Comparative Study:  Morrisville-Carpenter Road versus Crabtree Crossing Extension – June 2006”

Update: October 20, 2008

As the next step in the Morrisville Carpenter Road/NC 54 intersection improvement, Southern Railway will be on site make the necessary adjustments to the railroad crossing.  Here are the details:

• The railroad crossing will be closed from Friday, October 31st at 8pm to Sunday, November 2nd at approximately 6pm.
• Motorists will be able to travel NC54 and turn east onto Aviation Parkway, but they will not be able to cross the railroad tracks to turn west onto Morrisville Carpenter Road.  Similarly, motorists traveling east on Morrisville Carpenter Road will not be able to cross the railroad tracks to turn right or left onto NC54, nor to travel straight onto Aviation Parkway.
• A detour route will be enforced by placement of signs.  
  

All calls regarding the scope of the project as a whole should be directed to Blake Mills at 463-7071.

All calls regarding the weekend closing will be directed to Stacie Galloway at 463-6207.

In case of moderate inclement weather, work will be completed on schedule.  In case of severe weather, decisions will likely be made on Thursday, October 30th. Stay tuned to this website for any changes to the schedule.

Projected Completion Date:  January 2010

Project starts on Davis Drive at Morrisville-Carpenter Road and goes north almost to I-40 in Durham County.  The road will be 4 lanes with sidewalks in Morrisville only, not in Cary. The sidewalks will also be on McCrimmon Parkway connecting to the sidewalks for Twin Lakes.   The existing sidewalks in Cary (in front of the sports-plex and the daycare) will be removed during the widening and NCDOT will not be replacing them. Per Cary, they will be replaced as development occurs.  This project also includes improving McCrimmon Parkway from the Harris Teeter entrance to the west and the Twin Lakes Development to the east.

Projected Completion Date: January 2009

Project starts at NC 54 (next to the two gas stations) and goes east to McCrimmon Parkway.  The road will be widened to four lanes with a center turn lane just like the portion closer to I-40.  The Town is paying for sidewalks on both sides of the street in the project area.

Projected Completion Date: December 2008

This is in the Town Center.  It will connect Town Hall Drive to Church Street and is located south of Downing Glen and north of Carolina Street.  The road will be 2 lanes with on street parking, bicycle facilities, sidewalks on both sides, and street furniture.

Projected completion date: 2012

This road is going to connect north to Slater Road.  Sidewalks and bicycle facilities are included.

As part of the private developments, NC 54 will be 4 lanes in Morrisville from the Durham County line south to Watkins Road.  It will pick up again to be 4 lanes in southern Morrisville from Weston Parkway east to just after Cary Parkway.  All new roadway sections will have 14-foot wide outside lanes for cyclists.  Sidewalks will be added in the following locations:

These will be completed as the development occurs. Most will be done by 2010. 

Projected Completion Date:  2011

The Town of Cary is extending this road from Breckenridge north to the county line. RTP is extending it from the county line to its existing location in RTP. It will be two lanes with no curb or gutter.

SIDEWALK & GREENWAY PROJECTS

(In addition to any road projects and private development projects)

Projected Completion Date:  July 2008

Near Luther Green Center and south Barbee Road on both sides of the road there will be sidewalks that are 5 feet wide.

Projected Completion Date: July 2011

Phase II is north of Barbee Road on the west side connecting gaps between subdivisions north to Kit Creek Road.

Phase III is south of McCrimmon Parkway and south of the backside of Cedar Fork Elementary School connecting existing sidewalk to Treybrooke Drive, which connects to the Montessori School.  This will include sidewalk on both sides of Church Street.

These two projects are projected to be funded through Town funds and matching grants. The timing is based upon the release of the grant funds.

Projected Completion Date: 2010

This project will include the addition of sidewalks and pedestrian push-button crossings to connect pedestrian improvements being done for the Shiloh Crossing (Wal-Mart) north of NC 540 and private development sidewalks planned south of NC 540.

Projected Completion Date: 2009

• Section from Morrisville-Carpenter Road north to McCrimmon Parkway.
• Section running through Providence and Shiloh Grove almost all of the way to NC 540.

Projected Completion Date: December 2008

This section runs behind Ace Hardware from the Community Park to Morrisville-Carpenter Road.

TRAFFIC SIGNALS

(In addition to any road projects and private development projects)

• Paramount Parkway and Perimeter Park
• Paramount Parkway and Carrington Mill Boulevard
• Lake Grove Boulevard and Davis Drive (near the new Kangaroo Gas Station)
• Carrington Mill Blvd. and NC 54
• Surles Ct and NC 54 (Wal-Mart entrance in Durham County)
• Wal-Mart entrance and NC 54
• Park West Village entrance on NC 54, Cary Parkway, and Morrisville Parkway

Posted April 21, 2008

The North Carolina Department of Transportation just released its study on the “Church Consolidation Study”, better known as the study to close Church Street where it crosses the railroad tracks near NC 54 (Chapel Hill Road).  The study is now available on the Town’s Transportation page in two separate PDF files.  The first file is the text and executive summary of the document.  The second file is the appendix of the document.  A hard copy version is available for review at the Town of Morrisville Planning Department’s offices at 260 Town Hall Drive Suite B.  Although this intersection is in Durham and outside of the Town of Morrisville’s jurisdiction, the Town is following this closely.  Please contact Michele Hane at 463-6165 or Ashley Jones at 463-6927 with questions and comments.

- NCDOT Church Street Crossing Consolidation Plan (9MB)

- NCDOT Church Street Crossing Consolidation Plan - Appendix (31MB)