Build a Better Boulevard: Presentation of Recommendations for Transportation Retrofit for Wilkinson Boulevard

BELMONT, CRAMERTON + McADENVILLE, North Carolina January, 2015
BUILD-A-BETTER BOULEVARD
WILKINSON BLVD

HIGHWAY COMMERCIL
strips have been around for
more then 50 years.
CLASSICLY AMERICAN
landscape, from Las Vegas
to Anywhere USA.
BUILT FOR THE CAR
designed to be experienced
from the car.
UNCOMPRIMISING
in how they impacted the
communities they served.

HIGHWAYS NOW GATEWAYS
into most communities, the first
impression for visitors.
AESTHETIC IMPROVEMENTS
in the form of landscape, signage
and zoning have helped to reduce
some negative impacts.

MIMIKING MAIN STREET
was, and in many places, still is
the goal of towns and cities trying
to spruce up their images.

REDUCING CAR DOMINANCE
by introducing people and nature
into the scene.
AFFECTIVE AND COSTLY

IS WILKINSON
BOULEVARD
READY FOR ITS
MAKEOVER?

WILKINSON CORRIDOR INTERVENTION CATEGORIES
Management
1m- Traffic Management systems, i.e.: adaptive signal system, or similar signal phasing update.
2m- NCDOT electronic information signs along I-85 and Wilkinson Blvd.
3m- Written and approved protocol between Highway Patrol, Police, and NCDOT to coordinate traffic management during exceptional conditions
(accidents, Christmas Lights)
Policy
4p- Alternate Parallel system (East and West McAdenville Road, and East and West Catawba Street)
5p- Interstate I-85 Interchange redesigns to single point signal configuration
6p- Multi-way design for Park Street between the new East McAdenville Road signal and Wilkinson Blvd.
7p- Relocation of N Main Street, north of Wilkinson intersection, to align with new interchange proposed immediately west of existing I-85 exit.
8p- Square-Back-Access for Lakewood Intersection.
9p- Comprehensive Plan and Zoning Updates
Design
10d- Wilkinson Blvd Section: six 10.5 ft travel lanes, one 5ft planted center median with lighting two 16ft landscaped shoulders, cyclist + sidewalk
facilities and pedestrian scaled lighting
11d- Plan for the Catawba/McAdenville Road intersection showing new turn lanes and sidewalk/landscape/paver treatment.
12d- Plan for the Park Street intersection showing new turn lanes and sidewalk/landscape/paver treatment.
13d- Plan for N. Main Street intersection showing new turn lanes and sidewalk/landscape/paver treatment.
14d- Plan for the Lakewood Road intersection showing new turn lanes and sidewalk/landscape/paver treatment.
15d- Plan for the Market St/Wesleyan Road intersection showing new turn lanes and sidewalk/landscape/paver treatment.

Context: Site + Situation
- Total length 515 miles
- Connects Wrightsville Beach NC
and Chattanooga TN
-Runs through Asheville and
Charlotte.
- Designated a US State route in
1926.
- Total length completed in 1936
- Study area is 4.2 miles in length
within Gaston County, NC

Context: Site +
Situation
- Metropolitan Thoroughfare
network

Context: Site +
Situation
- Metropolitan Thoroughfare
network handling a population of
1 million within the shaded
areas shown.

Context: Site +
Situation
- Peninsula: Belmont,
Cramerton, and McAdenville are
located on the only large
peninsula in the region with over
20 miles of river front.

Context: Site +
Situation
- Peninsula: over 20 miles of
river front
- I-85: 4 miles of limited access
carrying an average of 100,000
cars per day.

Context: Site +
Situation
- Geography and Topography of
the immediate area shape the
existing pattern of development
and traffic flows and the path of
new development and future
traffic flows.
-Current commuting patterns
show the impacts of the study
area’s geography and
topography:
73,549 – South + Southeast
Corridors
44,799 - North + Northeast
Corridors
34,685 - West Corridor
Source: US Census Bureau, American
Community Survey 2010.

I-77 South
South Blvd
South Tryon St
Independence Blvd
Monroe Rd
Idlewild Road
I-85
Wilkinson Blvd
I-77 North
Highway 21
Old Statesville Rd
I-85
North Tryon St
Highway 49
History: Growth
Corridors
- Wilkinson is one of 5 Corridors
that radiate from Central
Charlotte

I-77 North
Highway 21
Old Statesville Rd I-85
North Tryon St
University Blvd
Independence Blvd
Monroe Rd
Lawyers RoadI-77 South
South Blvd
South Tryon St
I-85
Wilkinson Blvd
History: Growth
Corridors
Charlotte
-Each Corridor consists of a
combination of Interstates,
Boulevards, Streets, or Roads.
In the western corridor Wilkinson
Blvd is paired with I-85

Westinghouse
Arrowood Business Park
Carolina Place Mall
History: Growth
Corridors
Charlotte
- Each Corridor consists of a
- Approximately 10 to 12 miles
from central Charlotte along
each of the other Corridors is a
cluster of employment and
commercial development.
Ballantyne
Crown Point
Matthews Township
University City
UNC Charlotte
University Research
Park
Concord Mills Mall
Charlotte Motor
Speedway
Northlake Mall
Huntersville Business Park

History: Growth
Corridors
Charlotte
-Each Corridor consists of a
- In each Corridor, growth
patterns are dictated by local
access and metropolitan
connectivity.

1980-
1989
1985-
1990
1991-
1998
2001-
2008
2012-
2019
History: Growth
Corridors
- Along each Corridor, growth
patterns are dictated by local
access and metropolitan
connectivity.
- The Wilkinson Blvd Corridor is
next in line to receive growth and
development from the latest
economic expansion.

Local Impacts
- Growth will disperse to the
north and south of I-85 and
Wilkinson, concentrating along
routes with direct bridge access.

Local Impacts
- Over time, growth will disperse
to the north and south of I-85
and Wilkinson with the largest
increases north of I-85.
- Currently 3 Catawba River
Crossings totaling 17 lanes, just
over half belonging to I-85.
- Currently 6 South Fork River
Crossings totaling 18 lanes, over
half belong to I-85 and Wilkinson
Blvd.

Local Impacts
and Wilkinson with the largest
increases north of I-85.
- North/South commuting will
increase in volume at a higher
rate than East/West commuting.

Local Impacts
and Wilkinson. The largest
increases will occur north of I-85.
- Existing Interchanges on I-85
and existing Intersections on
Wilkinson Blvd will be impacted
by significant increases in traffic.

Local Impacts
- Existing Interchanges on I-85
and existing Intersections on
Wilkinson Blvd will be impacted
by significant increases in traffic.
- Existing road network will be
unable to accommodate efficient
flow of increased traffic volumes
and new trip origin and
destination routes.

Local Impacts
- To insure Wilkinson Blvd
remains a functioning
supplemental traffic artery to I-
85, as well as a viable alternative
to local traffic in eastern Gaston
County the thoroughfare network
along the Corridor will need to be
redesigned and added to.
A parallel system would provide
an alternate route for many
within Belmont, Cramerton and
McAdenville to access all local
needs. It would tie together the
centers of each community and
offer secondary access to more
developable properties north and
south of Wilkinson Blvd.
New and improved north/south
streets and
intersections/interchanges with
Wilkinson/I-85 will alter the
current character and
development opportunities along
the Corridor.

Constraints
- Property Ownership and Municipal
Limits along Wilkinson Blvd in the
Study area. Small and shallow lot
sizes along significant stretches of
Wilkinson make it difficult to offer
market acceptable sites for
development.

Constraints
- Typical property dimensions for
commercial/retail development
along auto dependent
thoroughfares start at 500 feet in
depth.
Franklin Street
Gastonia
Wilkinson Blvd
Belmont
Wilkinson Blvd
Charlotte

Constraints
- Average Daily Traffic within study area is 16,000 vehicles
A steady decline over previous 25 years by several thousand daily vehicles.

Constraints
- Park Street handles
27,000 vehicles per day
north of Wilkinson (+60%)
and 17,000 south of
Wilkinson.
A steady increase over
previous 10 years by
several thousand daily
vehicles.
- Main Street handles
16,000 vehicles per day just
north of Wilkinson and
15,000 vehicles per day just
south of Wilkinson.
A steady increase over
previous 10 years by
several thousand vehicles
per day.

Constraints
- Existing Rights-of-Way, easements,
and topography constrain development
opportunities along more than half of
the Blvd within the study area.
Green – Electric
Brown – Gas
Grey – Rail
Tan – Slopes
Green/Blue – Creeks and Ravines
Purple – Bridge elevation

Opportunities
- Existing Rights-of-Way, easements,
and topography constrain development
opportunities along more than half of
the Blvd within the study area.
- New development opportunities,
circled in red, lie beyond the immediate
frontage circled in red.

Management
-For Arterial and Collector streets
controlled by signals, capacity is
determined at the intersections.
-Adaptive Signal Control is the
most promising mobility
management tool to optimize
signal operations
-It adjusts traffic signal phase
order and duration based on real
time measured traffic demand.
Cases of 22% safety boost

Management
Adaptive Signal Systems
-The only second generation
version, In-Sync, is well suited
to Wilkinson Boulevard
application based on:
- Frequent wide variations in
demand
- Often from rerouted I-85
emergency traffic
- Seasonal variation
- Long periods of under
capacity traffic demand
- Long sections of arterial
highway vs. finer network
- Reported crash reduction of
over 22% at some locations
due to fewer stops

Management
Signal timings loose value
as traffic changes:
- new volumes & patterns
- by time of day, week &
month
- Gradually they differ from
initial timing settings
- Do Nothing is not an
option
Signal Timing & Delay
Time [in years]
Delay[inseconds]

Management
Periodic Retiming
Requires full staff attention
every 1 to 2 years
Time [in years]
Delay[inseconds]

Management
Constant Refinement:
- sensors, cameras/loops
collect traffic data
- memory stores the
history of patterns
- all at the signal
controller box
Timings are fresh based on
constant data input and
analysis
Time [in years]
Delay[inseconds]

Management
Traffic Incident Management
No overhead dynamic message signs or fiber optic cable for camera equipment exists between mile
marker 15.3 at Jenkins Road near Gastonia on the west, to the wayside park near mile marker 28, I-85
eastbound, near the Catawba River, in Mecklenburg County
We recommend full ITS implementation of dynamic message signs, Incident Management Assistance
Patrol vehicles and Emergency Coordination procedures for the Wilkinson/I-85 corridor..

4p - Parallel System
-To provide a more robust traffic
network, especially during peak
periods and incidents
East Catawba Street & East
McAdenville Road
Light Orange – Existing
Orange – New + Re-Alignment

Parallel System
-To provide a more robust traffic
network
West Catawba Street & West
McAdenville Road
Light Orange – Existing
Orange – New + Re-Alignment
13 miles in total length
9 miles of existing road and
street network
4 miles of new construction and
re-aligned

5p - Single Point Urban
Intersection Interchange
SPUI
Freedom Drive/I-85 Charlotte

SPUI’s
The following would be built as
Single Point Urban Interchanges
Exit 23: NC-7 McAdenville Rd
New Exit 24: Hickory Grove Rd
Exit 26: Belmont Mt Holly Rd
Exit 27: NC 273/Park St

6p - Park Street Multi Way
Design +
Single Point Urban
Intersection

7p – N. Main Relocation
- Construction of a new SPUI at
Exit 26 would be best supported
by a relocation of N. Main St to
the west.

- Construction of a new SPUI at
Exit 26 would be best supported
by a relocation of N. Main St to
the west.
- The new alignment would allow
traffic a direct route from
downtown Belmont north to I-85
and offer Belmont Abbey College
a prominent main entry off a
round-a-bout at the newly
aligned intersection with existing
N. Main at the front of its
Campus.

Campus.
- The existing Right-of-Way for
N. Main St would become a
dedicated greenway, part of the
Carolina Thread Trail. This
arrangement would guarantee a
permanent greenway facility,
separate from the current rail line
corridor that parallels N. Main St
currently.

Campus.
- The Greenway would become a
promenade between Belmont
Abbey’s Campus and Belmont,
providing a generous green
corridor for cyclists, joggers and
pedestrians.

- The Greenway would become a
promenade between Belmont
Abbey’s Campus and Belmont,
providing a generous green
corridor for cyclists, joggers and
pedestrians.
- The re-aligned N. Main St
would also provide greater
visibility and access for Belmont
Commerce Park across from the
Abbey Campus. The Greenway
and future rail would pass
through the property.

- The re-aligned N. Main St
would also provide greater
visibility and access for Belmont
Commerce Park across from the
Abbey Campus. The Greenway
and future rail would pass
through the property.
- South of I-85, the relocation of
N. Main St would open up a one-
of-a-kind development
opportunity at the most high
profile location in Gaston County.
With direct access to I-85, and
Wilkinson Blvd, the 30+ acres of
property would provide a high
quality corporate office/business
park.
The combined Commerce Park,
Belmont Abbey College and
Corporate Office Park would
become the “business address”
for eastern Gaston County.
Alliance for Growth: Poised to Prosper
Greater Gaston Economic Development
Corporation

8p – Square-Back
Access
- To disperse traffic loading
during peak periods and provide
some degree of relief to
congestion at major
intersections, “Square Back”
streets can be implemented.
- These consist of two lane
streets that frame quadrants of
the main intersection.
- The Lakewood intersection
provides an opportunity to
implement a Square Back
system Already built and new
developments off Wilkinson Blvd
would tie internal streets (yellow
existing, orange proposed) as
shown.

9p – Comprehensive Plan
& Zoning Update
- Wilkinson Boulevard is currently
zoned Highway Commercial along
most of its length within Belmont. In
Cramerton the zoning is a mix of
Traditional Neighborhood, Multi-family,
and Highway Commercial. The Study
recommends revising the existing
zoning to match what the real estate
market has already shown to be the
most viable development pattern. The
proposed zoning would be similar to
Cramerton’s, but with additional
considerations added to clearly
address the desire to concentrate
commercial development at key
intersections while promoting mixed-
use, but more residential based
development between intersections.

Wilkinson Blvd – Catawba River & Southfork River Bridge Sections
4 lane section
wide planted
sidewalk and
cycle way
6 lane section
reduced
sidewalk and
cycle way

Wilkinson Blvd – Typical Section

Wilkinson Blvd – Typical Left Turn Section

Wilkinson Blvd at Catawba River

East Catawba St and East McAdenville Rd Intersection

East McAdenville and East Catawba Street Sections

Wilkinson Blvd and N. Main Street

Market St/Wesleyan St Intersection

Gaston Cleveland Lincoln
MPO
A Matrix of Recommended Projects has
been prepared for incorporation into the
Gaston-Cleveland-Lincoln MPO and
NCDOT plan programs. These are:
CTP: Comprehensive Transportation
Plan. This is the fiscally unconstrained
list of transportation needs in a given
area. Getting on this list as a “needed
improvement” matters to the
“mainstreaming” of a project in the
funding process.
MTP: Metropolitan Transportation Plan.
This is the 25 year fiscally constrained
project list for the MPO. It is a federal
requirement and is not binding to the
NCDOT and as such is more a vision
and policy document for the MPO.
STIP: Statewide Transportation
Improvement Program. This is the short-
term (4-10 year) list of projects expected
to be implemented in the near future.
Project Benefit by Type Timeframe
Sponsor (who
administers
project?)
Next Steps
Impact on Existing Plans
or Proposed Projects
Submit as
Project in
SPOT 4.0?
Parallel road system Traffic flow, land use
As development
occurs
Municipalities Incorporate in CTP None No
"Square back" system for Park, Main,
Lakewood intersections
Traffic flow, land use
As development
occurs
Municipalities Incorporate in CTP None No
Adaptive signal system along
Wilkinson Blvd
Traffic flow Near-term (by 2020) NCDOT
Confirm sponsorship and
maintenance requirements
Yes- I-85 widening and
diversion traffic
Yes
I-85 interchange at Exit 26 Traffic flow
Concurrent with I-85
widening (mid-
2020s)
NCDOT Incorporate in CTP Yes- I-85 widening No
Deploy Intelligent Transportation
System along I-85
Traffic flow Mid-term (by 2025) NCDOT
Consider ranking in SPOT
4.0, if necessary
Yes- I-85 widening Yes
Multi-way design for Park Street btw
E. McAdenville and Wilkinson
Non-motorized users,
property owners
Mid-term (by 2025) NCDOT
Incorporate in CTP and
submit in SPOT 4.0
None Yes
Wilkinson Blvd modified typical cross
section
Non-motorized users,
property owners
Mid-term (by 2025) Municipalities
Confirm municipal interest,
NCDOT concerns, and costs
None No
Catawba/ McAdenville Road
intersection improvements
Traffic flow, land use Mid-term (by 2025) NCDOT
Confirm scope and submit
in SPOT 4.0
None Yes
Park Street intersection improvements Traffic flow, land use Mid-term (by 2025) NCDOT
in SPOT 4.0
None Yes
Lakewood intersection improvements Traffic flow, land use Mid-term (by 2025) NCDOT
in SPOT 4.0
None Yes
Market/Wesleyan intersection
improvements
Traffic flow, land use Mid-term (by 2025) NCDOT
in SPOT 4.0
None Yes
Replacing two bridges along Wilkinson
Blvd
Non-motorized users
Long-term (after
2025)
NCDOT Incorporate in CTP
Yes- Wilkinson Blvd
modified cross section
No
Relocated N. Main Street intersection
improvements
Long-term (after
2025)
NCDOT Incorporate in CTP Yes- I-85 widening No
N. Main Street intersection
improvements
Long-term (after
2025)
NCDOT Incorporate in CTP None Yes

Wilkinson Blvd Corridor Study
Planning & Urban Design: Metrocology
Transportation Planning: Hall Planning & Engineering
Outreach Coordinator: The Civic Hub

Build a Better Boulevard: Presentation of Recommendations for Transportation Retrofit for Wilkinson Boulevard

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