U-5892 Purpose and Need Statement.docx

STIP Project U-5892
Proposed Widening of Battleground Avenue (U.S. 220) from Approximately 0.25 miles
north of Westridge Road to the eastbound I-840 Ramps in Greensboro, Guilford County.
Purpose and Need Statement
November 7, 2018
STIP No.: U-5892 County: Guilford
NCDOT Division: 7 WBS No.: 44673.1.1
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
• Length: 1.4 miles
• Termini: Westridge Road to Eastbound I-840 Ramps
• MPO / RPO: Greensboro Urban Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO)
• NEPA / 404 Merger Candidate? ❑ Yes ❑ No � Unknown
General Description of Project: This project proposes to widen Battleground Avenue (U.S. 220) from
approximately 0.25 miles north of Westridge Road to the eastbound I-840 ramps in Greensboro, Guilford
County. U.S. 220 is currently five lanes (four through lanes with a two-way center left turn lane). The
proposed typical section includes six 11-foot lanes, a 23-foot median, and 5-foot sidewalks on both sides of
the roadway. This project is included in NCDOT's 2018-2027 STIP and is scheduled to begin right of way
acquisition in Fiscal Year (FY) 2020 with construction beginning in FY 2021. This project is federally funded,
and a Categorical Exclusion (CE) document is anticipated.
PROJECT NEED
• Primary Need — Capacity: According to the 2010 Greensboro Urban Area MPO Comprehensive
Transportation Plan (CTP), Battleground Avenue is projected to be over capacity by 2035. Between
Cotswold Avenue and Westridge Road, traffic along Battleground Avenue is expected to increase to
46,500 vehicles per day (vpd). According the CTP, volumes over 36,400 vpd on a 4-lane road
indicate a need for improvements. Based on the traffic capacity analysis for this project, the
intersections of Cotswold Avenue, Downing Street, and the Battleground Plaza driveway are
projected to be over capacity (level of service E or F) by the project design year of 2040.
• Secondary Need — Safety: The crash rate for the U.S. 220 corridor in the past five years (576.13
crashes per million vehicle miles traveled (MVMT)) exceeds the critical crash rate (341.85 crashes
per MVMT). Many left turn movement crashes occur involving vehicles egressing from side streets
and driveways, or involving vehicles turn left on U.S. 220 and failing to yield to the through
movement of traffic. One fatal and two pedestrian crashes occurred at the New Garden Road
intersection. Safety is a high priority for the City of Greensboro as part of their Vision Zero strategy.
A median reduces potential conflicts between vehicles.
• Additional Benefit — Multi-modal Connectivity: There is a lack of pedestrian accommodations along
the entire project corridor. Current and future development, the park and greenway, and
residential land uses along the corridor result in desire for pedestrian travel along U.S. 220.
Currently, sidewalks are discontinuous, with goat-paths along the corridor and minimal access to
the greenway. Two bus routes with the Greensboro Transit Authority (GTA) run along Battleground
Avenue.
U-5892 Purpose and Need Statement Page 1 November 7, 2018

• Additional Benefit — Consistency with Local Transportation Plans: This project is on the Greensboro
Urban Area MPO CTP. Recent and proposed projects along U.S. 220 (such as U-5306B,
improvement of the Westridge Road intersection) utilize the same typical section as the proposed
U-5892 project.
PROJECT PURPOSE
• The primary purpose of this project is to decrease congestion through the design year of 2040,
achieving a LOS D or better at all signalized intersections.
• The secondary purpose of this project is to improve safety along the corridor.
• Additional benefits of this project are to improve multi-modal connectivity along the Battleground
Avenue corridor and to provide consistency with local transportation plans.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The Greensboro Urban Area MPO (GUAMPO) Comprehensive Transportation Plan (2010) predicts that
Battleground Avenue will be over capacity by 2035 with its existing configuration. Further commercial,
residential, park, and greenway development is expected, causing traffic increases. The plan also indicates
that bicycle and pedestrian improvements are recommended on US 220.
The GUAMPO 2040 MTP (2015) indicates that a new Piedmont Authority for Regional Transportation bus
route is proposed by 2030 along US 220. The plan also recommends a wide outside lane for bicyclists on US
220 within the project study area.
The City of Greensboro Connections 2025 Comprehensive Plan supports investing in road improvements
such as widenings when necessary and appropriate to address safety or capacity deficiencies by eliminating
critical bottlenecks and gaps in the road network. The plan also supports developing a comprehensive
network of pedestrian and bicycle facilities including sidewalks and bike facility enhancements along
roadways and off-street paths developed as part of an expanded greenway network.
Table 1 summarizes the crash rate data for the US 220 corridor study in terms of crashes per 100 million
vehicle miles traveled (MVMT). One of the methods used to identify locations with a higher than expected
crash frequency is to compare the corridor study crash rate to the critical crash rate. The critical crash rate
is a statistically adjusted crash rate (Rate Quality Control Method with 95% level of confidence) using the
statewide average crash rate of similar roadway facilities and applying the traffic volumes (exposure rate)
and the study corridor length. Crash rates that exceed the critical crash rate may indicate a potential
deficiency within the roadway facility and additional analysis should be considered.
Table 1: US 220 Crash Rates
Statewide
Category Crashes Crash Rate* Average Crash Critical Crash
Rate Rate
Total Crashes 459 576.13 308.83 341.85
Fatal Crashes 1 �..��� 1.40 4.21
Non-Fatal Injury Crashes 198 248.53 92.76 111.14
Night Crashes 81 101.67 56.40 70.87
Wet Crashes 82 102.93 46.94 60.20
* Corridors with crash rates that exceed the critical crash rates are shown in red, or shown in green if the crash rates fall below the critical crash
rate.
U-5892 Purpose and Need Statement Page 2 November 7, 2018