Thoroughfare plan report for Highlands, North Carolina

86 Pages·1997·15.2 MB·English

by  North Carolina. Division of Highways. Urban Studies Unit

fA^rt/i CawCina 'Department of Transportation
Stateunde (Planning 'Branch
llrban Studies Unit
Highlands
Thoroughfare Plan
Technical Report
N.C. DOCUMENTS
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September, 1997

Thoroughfare Plan Report
for
Highlands, North Carolina
Prepared by the:
Statewide Planning Branch
Division of Highways
N. C. Department of Transportation
In Cooperation with:
The Town of Highlands
The Federal Highway Administration
U. S. Department of Transportation
r :* SEAL : =
5 : 21120 J z
E. D. McDonald, II, P.E.
Thoroughfare Planning Engineer
Digitized by the Internet Archive
in 2012 with funding from
LYRASIS IVIembers and Sloan Foundation
http://archive.org/details/thoroughfarepl1997nort
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Persons Responsible for this Report:
Project Engineer: E. D. McDonald, II, P.E.
Urban Studies Unit Head: D. S. Hutchings, P.E.
Manager, Statewide Planning Branch: M. R. Poole, Ph.D., P.E.
Engineering Technician: Jocelyn Jones
Jim Neely

Table of Contents
Chapter Page
1. Introduction 1
2. Thoroughfare Plan Recommendations 5
3. Alternatives Analysis 9
4. Existing and Projected Conditions 15
5. Implementation 29
6. Conclusion 39
Appendix
A. Thoroughfare Planning Principles 41
B. Thoroughfare Plan Street Tabulation 49
C. Typical Cross Sections 51
D. Recommended Subdivision Ordinances 59

List of Figures
Figure Page
1. Geographic Location of Highlands 3
2. Recommended Thoroughfare Plan 7
3. Project Alternatives 11
4. Land Use 19
5. Existing and Projected AADT 23
6. Persons per Vehicle Trend 25
7. Idealized Thoroughfare Plan 43
8. Typical Thoroughfare Cross Sections 55
List of Tables
Table Page
1. Population 16
2. Percent Change in Population 16
3. Employment Trends in Macon County 17
4. Minimum Levels of Service for Roads and Highways 22
5. Minimum Tolerable Lane Widths 27
6. Environmental Considerations 36
7. Cost Estimates - Benefits - and Probable Impacts 37
8. Minimum Right-of-way Requirements 62
9. Design Speeds 64
10. Sight Distance 64
11. Maximum Vertical Grade 65
12. Superelevation 66
13. Metric Conversion Table 68
14. Metric Measurement Equivalents 68