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Triangle Regional Freight Plan
Kenneth Withrow, MPO Staff
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The Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization, in cooperation with the Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Metropolitan Planning Organization (DCHCMPO), and the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT), hired the consulting services of Parsons Brinckerhoff to develop a Regional Freight Plan for the Triangle region. Recognizing the need to jointly address freight issues in the region, this planning effort was jointly funded by the three agencies. The purpose of the plan is threefold:
• To conduct a comprehensive regional study of freight, goods movement, and services mobility needs;
• To develop a framework to proactively address freight and goods movement mobility needs and challenges in our region; and
• To examine all modes of a freight transportation system with emphasis on trucks, rail and air cargo and to develop freight recommendations for the 2045 joint Metropolitan Transportation Plan.
Development of the proposed plan is now complete; with the inclusion of the proposed Ranch Road alignment between NC 42 and the US 70 Bypass in Clayton. The alignment’s designation as NC 42 will be determined at a future date.
Public comment on the proposed Triangle Regional Freight Plan is currently under way through August 15, 2018. A comment has been received requesting that Jessie Drive in Apex be added as a Strategic Freight Corridor within the Triangle Regional Freight Plan. The Triangle Regional Freight Plan will be considered for adoption at the August 15, 2018 Executive Board meeting.
Requested Action: Action Recommend approval of the Triangle Regional Freight Plan; with the inclusion of the Ranch Road alignment and Jessie Drive designated as Strategic Freight Corridors.