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HomeMy WebLinkAboutH_1997_TransportationElementWASHINGTON COUNTY COMPREHENSIVE PLAN Transportation Element Prepared By: BMI 8330 Boone Blvd., Suite 700 Vienna, Virginia 22182 In Association With: SG ASSOCIATES, INC. October, 1997 Table of Contents Page # VISIONS AND GOALS,........................................................ 1 URBAN AND TOWN GROWTH AREAS ........ ,................................. 2 Transportation Policies .................................................... 2 Highways...............................................................2 Public Transportation..................................................... 11 Bicycle and Pedestrian Facilities ............................................ 16 Goods Movement........................................................ 18 Transportation Enhancement Activities ....................................... 22 RURAL -AGRICULTURAL AREAS ............ .................................. 24 Transportation Policies ................................................... 24 Rural Highways......................................................... 24 Public Transportation..................................................... 25 Bicycle and Pedestrian Facilities ............................................ 27 Transportation Enhancement Activities ....................................... 28 RELATIONSHIP OF TRANSPORTATION ELEMENT TO COUNTY PLANNING PRINCIPLES...................................................... 29 1. Efficiency, Economy, and Timeliness in Public Expenditures for Services and Facilities Which Promote or Support Growth .............................. 29 2. Expansion and Diversification of Cultural, Housing and Economic Opportunities . 29 3. Maintenance of Distinct Alternative Urban, Suburban, Town and Rural Environments.......................................................30 4. Protection of Natural Resources and the Function of Vital Natural Systems ...... 30 5. Preservation of the Viability of Agriculture in Washington County ............. 30 Appendix A. State Consolidated Transportation Program and County Capital Improvement Program Projects List of Tables Table # Page # 1 Washington County Highway Functional Classifications .......................... 5 2 Major Programmed Highway Improvements ................................... 9 3 Spring 1997 Park -and -Ride Lot Inventory ..................................... 14 4 Human Service Providers .................................................. 15 5 Projected 2020 Truck Freight Flows by Major Entry and Exit Points ................ 19 List of Figures Figure # Page # 1 Washington County Urban and Town Growth Areas ......................... 3 2 Washington County General Highway Map ................................ 6 3 Recommended Highway Improvements for Washington County ............... 10 4 Washington County Park -and -Ride Lots .................................. 13 5 Washington County Railroads .......................................... 20 it WASHINGTON COUNTY COMPREHENSIVE PLAN TRANSPORTATION ELEMENT VISIONS AND GOALS The Maryland Economic Growth, Resource Protection, and Planning Act of 1992 established a set of visions to guide County and municipal comprehensive planning. The visions are stated in the Act as follows: 1. Development is concentrated in suitable areas; 2. Sensitive areas are protected; 3. In rural areas, growth is directed to existing population centers and resource areas are protected; 4. Stewardship of the Chesapeake Bay and the land is a universal ethic; 5. Conservation of resources, including a reduction in resource consumption, is practiced; 6. To assure the achievement of 1 through 5 above, economic growth is encouraged and regulatory mechanisms are streamlined; and 7. Funding mechanisms are addressed to achieve these visions. While these visions provide Maryland's local jurisdictions with a clear statement of the State's planning priorities, the local jurisdictions retain a degree of flexibility that allows them to establish their own priorities and concerns. Washington County has established a set of goals for its Comprehensive Plan that are summarized into five basic principles: 1. Efficiency, economy, and timeliness in public expenditures for services and facilities which promote or support growth; 2. Expansion and diversification of cultural, housing, and economic opportunities; 3. Maintenance of distinct alternative urban, suburban, town, and rural environments; 4. Protection of natural resources and the function of vital natural systems; 5. Preservation of the viability of agriculture in Washington County. Washington County's basic planning principles are consistent with the Maryland Planning Act's visions. As an important subset of the overall Comprehensive Plan, the Transportation Element establishes goals and policies for maintenance and improvement of the County's transportation system. This element recognizes the important interrelationship between land use and transportation planning and promotes an integrated and intermodal transportation system that is consistent with both the County's planning principles and State planning visions. A comprehensive transportation planning effort was recently completed for Washington County that resulted in separate long range transportation plans for the urbanized and non -urbanized areas of the County (1, 2). These two plan documents contain detailed background information concerning the transportation system analyses that formed the basis for this document. The overall goals for the transportation system that were established in each document include: 1. Maintain and improve the quality of the transportation system. 2. Increase the efficiency of the existing transportation system. 3. Promote desirable social and economic impacts of the transportation system. 4. Minimize the costs to improve the quality and efficiency of the transportation system. 5. Minimize undesirable impacts of the transportation system. The Transportation Element addresses the Urban and Town Growth Areas and the Rural Agricultural Areas separately, which is in keeping with the principles behind the Comprehensive Plan. Figure 1 shows the boundaries of these distinct areas. Specific multimodal policies are presented for each area. The transportation system goals outlined above are common to both. URBAN AND TOWN GROWTH AREAS Transportation Policies Develop and maintain an integrated multimodal transportation system that supports existing and planned development in the urban and town growth areas. 2. Plan for, develop and encourage the use of alternatives to single occupant vehicles. Provide a multimodal transportation system that meets the mobility needs of the citizens of Washington County, including the transit -dependant. 4. Provide a multimodal transportation system that effectively links the urban and town growth areas, and accommodates inter -regional travel through the County. Maintain the policy for determining adequacy of existing roads, as required under the Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance of Washington County. Highways Washington County's status as a transportation hub springs from the regional geology. Interstate 81, the principal north -south alternative to Interstate 95, follows the Great Valley route from northeast to southwest. Interstate 70 parallels the Potomac River, using gaps in the mountains made by this river, to provide east -west travel to the Baltimore and Washington, DC metropolitan areas. 1 1- lagerstown/Eastern Panhandle MPO Long Range Traizsportation_Plaiz}_l�inal,_199T 2 Washington County Non -Urbanized Area Long Range Transportation Plan, Final, 1996. 2 These two interstate facilities intersect between Hagerstown and Williamsport within the Urban Growth Area. Apart from the interstate facilities, there is an extensive network of highways. The general layout is a hub and spoke pattern, with Hagerstown, Williamsport and Boonsboro all acting as hubs. US 11, MD 65 and MD 60 are the major north -south highways, with US 40 and MD 68 oriented to the east and west. In central Hagerstown, US 11, MD 60, MD 65 and US 40 split into one-way pairs. US 40 is typically three lanes in each direction with parking allowed on both sides of the street. The number of lanes in the north -south pairs varies between one and two, based on available space, with parking on one or both sides of the street. Most of the local roads in the incorporated Towns and Cities are laid in a grid. Keedysville, with its low population, forms a narrow strip. Hagerstown has outgrown its original grid, spilling into the surrounding radial road network. Connectivity within the urban growth areas is generally good; the principal exception being in Hagerstown, where the railroad tracks separate the north and west sides of town from the south and east sides of town. Highway Classification System Maintaining the functional integrity of the Washington County highway system is important in terms of mobility, accessibility and safety. The two major considerations in classifying highway and street networks functionally are mobility and access. The primary purpose of higher order facilities, such as freeways and arterials, is to provide mobility; while the purpose of local streets is to provide access to adjacent land uses. Collector facilities tend to combine both functions. Highways are further classified into rural and urban systems, since urban and rural areas have fundamentally different characteristics with respect to density and types of land use, density of street and highway networks, nature of travel patterns, and the way in which these elements are related. The classification system used in Washington County is based on the Federal Highway Functional Classification System. Table 1 contains a listing of the urban and rural functional categories with a brief description of the characteristics of each. Figure 2 shows the Washington County general highway map. Guidelines for the spacing of driveway access points can be related to the type of roadway facility. General guidelines from various literature sources for unsignalized access spacing by facility type are as follows: Principal Arterials 300-500 feet Minor Arterials 100-300 feet Collectors 100-200 feet The County should develop updated access spacing'guidelines for all types of roadways based on facility, classification, speed, cross section and/or type of land use. These should conform to M Table 1. Washinuton Countv Hiahwav Functional Classifications AREA TYPE FUNCTIONAL FACILITY TYPE CHARACTERISTICS CLASSIFICATION Urban Principal Arterial Interstate 1. Serves major activity centers. Freeway -Expressway 2. Highest traffic volume corridors. Other Principal Arterial 3. High proportion of total travel on minimum of roadway mileage. 4. Serves major regional and through trip movements. Minor Arterial Minor Arterial 1. Interconnects with and augments principal arterial system. 2. Accommodates trips of moderate length with lower level of mobility than principal arterials. 3. Ideally does not penetrate neighborhoods. Collector Collector 1. Link between local streets and arterial system. 2. Provides both land access and traffic circulation within residential neighborhoods and commercial areas. Local Local 1. All other facilities. 2. Lowest level of mobility. 3. Through traffic discouraged. Rural Principal Arterial Interstate 1. Corridor movement with trip length and Other Principal Arterial density suitable for substantial statewide or interstate travel. 2. Movements between many or all urban areas over 50,000. 3. Integrated movement without stub connections. Minor Arterial Minor Arterial 1. Linkage of cities, larger towns and special generators. 2. Integrated interstate and intercounty service. 3. Design should provide for relatively high speed and minimum interference to through movement. Collector Major Collector Maior Collectors Minor Collector 1. Serve County seats and larger towns not directly served by higher facilities. 2. Serve important intracounty travel corridors. Minor Collectors 1. Serve traffic from local roads and brings all developed areas within reasonable distance of major collectors. 2. Service to remaining local communities and special generators. LocalLocal 1. Serve short distance travel to collectors from abutting land uses. Figure 20 Washington County General Highway Map accepted engineering standards, such as those contained in the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials' (AASHTO) Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets. The highways that comprise the urban system in Washington County are all located within the Federal Aid Urban Boundary. This area includes Hagerstown, Williamsport and Smithsburg. Principal arterials, which are interstates, include I-81 and I-70. Other principal arterials, which are displayed in a different color, include: US Routes 11, 40, Alt. 40, and MD Routes 60, 64 and 65. Urban minor arterials include portions of US Alt. 40 (Frederick Street), MD 632 (Maryland Avenue), Halfway Boulevard, Oak Ridge Drive, Wilson Boulevard, Burhams Boulevard, Wesel Boulevard, Memorial Boulevard, Mount Aetna Road, Robinwood Drive, Northern Avenue, Eastern Boulevard, Maugansville Road, Maugans Avenue, Showalter Road, Long Meadow Road and MD 68 (Conococheague Street) in Williamsport. Key urban collector facilities include Mt. Aetna Road east of US 40, MD 144 (Washington Street), Marsh Pike and Governor Lane Boulevard. The highways in the non -urbanized portions of Washington County, as defined by the U.S. Census, comprise the rural system. Principal arterials, in addition to Interstates 70, 81 and 68, include US 522 and US 340. Rural minor arterial facilities include US 40, US Alt. 40, MD 65, MD 34 (west of Boonsboro), MD 67, MD 64 and MD 60. Rural major collectors include Western Pike, Hollow Road, US 40 west of Clear Spring, MD 68, MD 57, MD 494, Cearfoss Pike, Harpers Ferry Road, MD 66, MD 491, MD 63 (Greencastle Pike), MD 77 and MD 550. Key rural minor collectors include MD 63 (Spielman Rd/Bakersville Rd/Keedysville Rd), Mt. Brier Road, Chestnut Grove Road, Woodmont Road, Indian Springs Road, Blairs Valley Road and Rockdale Road. Highway Conditions The long range transportation planning study referenced earlier examined current and future (2020) traffic and safety conditions on the highway system within the County. No existing intersection or urban street deficiencies were identified within the urban and town growth areas; however, six highway sections within, or immediately adjacent to, these growth areas were found to be deficient. These included: 1. I-81 between US 40 and MD 58 2. MD 64 between MD 66 and MD 77 3. MD 60 east of Long Meadow Road 4. US 40 between MD 63 and Walnut Point Road 5. MD 65 between I-70 and MD 68 6. MD 68 between I-81 and MD 63 7 An examination of future 2020 traffic conditions was also undertaken to identify additional highway deficiencies projected to occur in the future in the County. This analysis identified the following projected deficiencies, which are in addition to those noted above: 1. All I-81 and I-70 interstate segments within Urban Growth Area 2. MD 63 between Williamsport and the Pennsylvania State Line 3. US 11 between Halfway Blvd. and Wilson Blvd. 4. US 11 between Long Meadow Road and downtown Hagerstown 5. Potomac Avenue north of Northern Avenue 6. MD 65 between Oak Ridge Road and I-70 7. Dual Highway/Robinwood Drive intersection 8. Dual Highway/Eastern Boulevard intersection 9. Jefferson Boulevard/Eastern Boulevard intersection Future 2020 traffic conditions were evaluated by developing projections of future traffic volumes and analyzing the operational impacts of these on the future roadway system. Future traffic volumes were projected using the QRSII transportation system modeling computer program. This program projects future volumes on a roadway system based on future forecasts of socioeconomic data, as well as technical parameters related to trip generation, trip distribution, and traffic assignment. The QRSII model applied for this study was validated using accepted procedures, as documented in the Model Validation Report dated December 1995. The validated QRSII model will also be a valuable tool for use in future updates of the County and MPO long range transportation plans. The model can be used to assess the effects of changes to the socioeconomic forecasts and changes to the future roadway system. In addition, the model can be used for subarea analyses to evaluate the impacts of more localized land use developments and roadway improvements. With respect to traffic safety, an inventory and review of accident data was conducted to identify route segments or intersections that experience a higher than normal rate of accidents. Approximately twenty-two high accident locations were identified within the Urban Growth Area and one was noted in the Smithsburg Town Growth Area. These were ultimately prioritized along with other high accident locations in the County to develop a list of the fifteen highest accident locations in the County. Each location was examined and specific recommendations were made to improve the safety at each location in the HEP MPO Long Range Transportation Plan document. Highway Improvements Improvements to the highway system are undertaken by the County through their Capital Improvement Program (CIP), and the State through its Consolidated Transportation Program (CTP). These programs contain a full range of improvement types, including reconstruction, rehabilitation, facility upgrades and new construction. Table 2 highlights some of the major system improvements that are currently identified in the Urban Growth Area. These projects are in various stages of planning, design or construction. A complete list of currently -programmed highway improvement projects is provided in Appendix A. The improvement programs are updated annually. In addition to the programmed improvements, the HEP MPO Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) identified recommended highway improvements for the County. These were prioritized based on the functional class of the highway, economic and social impacts, project cost, project size and severity of the deficiency. The recommended projects for Washington County, which are shown in Figure 3, are listed below in descending priority: 1. Halfway Boulevard Interchange Improvements. 2. Widening of I-81 from Pennsylvania line to Potomac River. 3. Widening of MD 65 from Oak Ridge Drive to Poffenberger Road. 4. Eastern Boulevard Extension - Marsh Pike Connector. 5. Wesel Boulevard Extension into downtown Hagerstown. 6. Widening of I-70 from MD 63 eastward to the Frederick Co. Line. 7. Funkstown Bypass from Oak Ridge Drive to Edgewood Road. 8. Marshall - Salem Connector. 9. Passing lane on US 40 between Funkstown and Boonsboro. 10, Halfway Boulevard Extended - US 40 Connector. Table 2. Major Programmed Highway Improvements FACILITY PROJECT IMPROVEMENT IMPROVEMENT LOCATION TYPE PROGRAM 1. I-70 I-70 @ MD 632 Construct Interchange Consolidated Transportation Program, MDOT 2. 1-81 1-81 @ Halfway Boulevard Interchange Consolidated Transportation Improvements Program, MDOT (Design & ROW only) 3. Halfway Boulevard 1-81 to MD 63 Extension Capital Improvements Program, Washington County 4. Robinwood Drive East of US 40 Signal Installation/ Capital Improvements Widening Program, Washington County 5. Maugans Avenue Maugansville to US 11 Capacity and Safety Capital Improvements Upgrades Program, Washington County 6. Shepherdstown Potomac River Reconstruct Consolidated Transportation Bridge Program, MDOT 7. Dual Highway Eastern Blvd. Bridge Widening Consolidated Transportation Program, MDOT 8. Robinwood Drive Medical Center - MD 64 Reconstruct Capital Improvements Program, Washington County 9. Newgate Boulevard Halfway Blvd. Ext. - US 40 New Construction Capital Improvements Program, Washin on County W Figure 3. Recommended Highway Improvements for Washington County 1-70 -68 ,Y sus i 522 w \ D 60 , i 4 `: US )0 4r ... f e MD 64 r to ' 17 ...... N Improvements With Funding in the Long Range Plan 1-81 f 1 Unfunded Improvements ell Key to Recommended Projects: •. -� , 9 k 1. I-81 Widening to 6 Lanes 2. Halfway Boulevard Interchange Improvements ; ^ 3. Funkstown Bypass 4. Eastern Boulevard - Marsh Pike Connector 5. MD 65 Widening to 4 Lanes i f� 6. I-70 Widening to 6 Lanes ; 7. Marshall - Salem Connector `k ` 8. Wesel Boulevard Extension r_- 9. Alt. US 40 Passing Lane 10. Halfway Boulevard - US 40 Connector :N;. 4 J i F I r 10 These recommendations are based on a thorough analysis of future traffic conditions. This analysis involved the application of a validated regional travel demand model that projects traffic levels based on assumptions with respect to future land use development patterns. This model will also support future updates of the County's LRTP. Recent Federal legislation pertaining to long range transportation planning (Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 - ISTEA) requires that MPO long range transportation plans be financially constrained. The plans can no longer contain improvement projects for which funding can not reasonably be expected to be available. The highway improvements identified for funding in the constrained HEP MPO LRTP are listed below: 1. I-81 - Widen to six lanes between I-70 and MD 58. 2. I-81/Halfway Blvd. Interchange - Upgrade (construction) 3. Eastern Blvd. - Construct northern extension from Northern Avenue to Marsh Pike. 4. Funkstown Bypass - Construct Bypass from Oak Ridge Drive to Edgewood Road. Funds for construction of these improvements would be drawn from several sources. The largest of these are the Federal National Highway System and Surface Transportation Program. These sources would be used for the I-81 projects. State, County, and City money would be applied to the Eastern Boulevard/Marsh Pike connector and the Funkstown Bypass. Details of the project funding are included in Appendix C of the HEP MPO LRTP. Since the financially constrained LRTP is not projected to accommodate future traffic growth, the County should identify and pursue alternative funding sources for the recommended improvements not covered in the constrained LRTP. The list of recommended improvements and anticipated funding levels should also be revisited as part of the update process associated with the Comprehensive and Long Range Transportation Plans. In addition to the recommended capital improvements noted above, the County should continue to pursue a comprehensive system preservation program with respect to its existing facilities. For example, consideration should be given to development of a pavement management system. Such a system would aid the County both in prioritizing current deficiencies and identifying future needs. Once in place, this type of system would prove useful in programming County expenditures in the annual Capital Improvement Program. Public Transportation Public transportation services available to the citizens of Washington County can be grouped into three categories: 1) Local General Public Services, 2) Commuter and Inter -city Services, and 3) Human Service Transportation. Each category plays an important role in meeting the public transportation needs of the region. 11 Local General Public Services Local general public services include local bus operations and taxicab services. Washington County operates the County Commuter local bus system and Turner Taxi provides taxicab services. The County Commuter provides local bus service in Hagerstown and inter -community travel. General public services are operated Monday through Friday and on Saturday. The County Commuter operates fourteen vehicles at an annual operating cost of $1,036,000. In 1993, the County Commuter carried approximately 291,000 passenger trips, which were comprised of forty percent elderly, five percent disabled and fifty-five percent general public riders. As studies are completed by County transit providers, data from those studies will be used for future planning efforts. Turner Taxi serves Washington County with twenty-one vehicles. They operate seven days a week, twenty-four hours per day. Turner Taxi reports carrying an average of 250 trips per day. A continuation of fixed route bus service is recommended in both the Washington County Transportation Development Plan and the HEP MPO Long Range Transportation Plan. The County Commuter operations in Washington County presently serve and are expected to serve the high transit need areas in the future. While the recommended network is expected to provide adequate service coverage to the urban areas, as new development occurs, a shifting of resources may be appropriate. The Valley Mall routes currently have the highest ridership, for example, and may require additional resources in the form of increased headways at certain times of the day. Commuter and Inter -city Services Commuter and inter -city services available to Washington County citizens include park-and-ride facilities, commuter bus, inter -city bus, and commercial air. In addition, Washington County citizens can access the AMTRAK/MARC rail line that runs from Martinsburg, WV through Brunswick, MD to Washington, DC, although the distance to the stations from much of Washington County makes this transportation option less attractive. The locations of the park-and-ride facilities in Washington County are shown in Figure 4. As shown in Table 3, usage counts conducted in Spring 1997 showed that the lots are approximately 50% full overall. An inventory of the total spaces in each lot is also provided in Table 3. 12 Figure 4. Washington County Park -and -Ride Lots Table 3. Spring 1997 Park -and -Ride Lot Inventory LOCATION SPACES VEHICLES % OF USE US 40 ALT @ MD 67 68 18 27% I-70 @ US 40 68 40 59% 1-70 @ MD 65 (SHA LOT) 78 58 74% 1-70 @ MD 65 (MVA LOT) 186 58 31 % 1-70 @ MD 66 165 97 59% 1-81 (a. MD 58 17 15 88% TOTALS 582 286 49% Commuter bus services are operated from Hagerstown to the Shady Grove Metrorail station in Montgomery County, MD by Erye Services. Departures from Hagerstown leave Monday through Friday during the AM peak period and return in the PM. There were approximately forty daily boardings in Hagerstown in 1994. The Greyhound Company operates inter -city bus services from Hagerstown to destinations in Baltimore, MD, Cumberland, MD, Washington, DC, Pittsburgh, PA and Cleveland, OH. Capital Trailways operates service to Harrisburg, PA. These services are available Monday through Saturday. On average, during the peak travel season between May and September, twenty-five persons per day depart on trips from the Hagerstown depot. During the non -peak travel season, daily boardings range between 18 and 20. The Washington County Regional Airport is located adjacent to I-81 about four miles north of Hagerstown and serves the Tri-state area of western Maryland, south central Pennsylvania and northeastern West Virginia. General aviation and commercial air services are provided. A comprehensive airport master planning study was completed in the late 1980's, which documented existing services and infrastructure and forecasted future demand. The basic findings of this study included: 1. Commuter activity should experience reasonable growth in both the number of aircraft operations and passenger enplanements. 2. Private, corporate and military aviation activity is likely to experience a healthy growth trend. 3. The type of aircraft based at the airport, as well as those using the facility, should trend toward the heavier and more complex turbine -powered equipment. 4. Certain peak period scenarios could result in a doubling of activity over current scenarios. 5. There should be no critical stages reached in the near future (e.g., 2005) in terms of airport capacity. 6. Runway 9/27 should be extended to 6,500 to 7,000 feet in length. 7. Terminal and landside parking areas should be expanded and improved. 14 In addition to these findings, the study addressed airport impacts on surrounding land uses. Although current land uses immediately bordering the Airport property are predominantly public and agricultural, which are compatible, the study recommended that the County discourage multiple residential development within the vicinity of the Airport. Specifically, it was recommended that the County enact legislation related to zoning and building codes to protect the environs from incompatibilities. Human Service Transportation Human service transportation services are generally categorized as program related and non - program related. Program related trips are travel by clients that would not exist without the existence of the program. An example of a program related trip is travel by a client to a workshop. Non -program related travel is travel required regardless of the existence of a program. An example of non -program related travel would be travel to the doctor or the store. Service characteristics for each of the seven human service providers in Washington County are provided in the Table 4. Table 4. Human Service Providers PROVIDER SERVICE TYPE ANNUAL TRIPS VEHICLES Washington County Non -Program 36,722 11 Commission on Program Aging Washington County Program 114,170 10 Association for Retarded Citizens Goodwill Industries Program 29,120 5 Homewood Program 15,600 3 Retirement Reeder's Memorial Non -Program 2,260 3 Home Program Western Maryland Program 8,900 4 Hospital Center Washington County Program 59,280 9 Human Development Council 15 In order to adequately serve projected demand for human service transportation, the HEP MPO LRTP recommended that human transportation services be coordinated at a minimum and may best be provided through a consolidated provider. The efforts of the Tri-State Western Maryland Transportation Group are proceeding in this direction. Financial and political support would need to be obtained to successfully form a consolidated human transportation service. Funds for this initiative would come from a wide range of programs. Details of transit funding are included in Appendix D of the HEP MPO LRTP. Where appropriate, general public services should be aligned to provide access to frequently visited human service and governmental sites in an effort to allow ambulatory clients to rely more on general public services rather than paratransit services. Likewise, where appropriate, human service transportation services should be made open to the general public for a set fee in order to provide transportation services to those living in locations where none or little public transportation service exists. Bicycle and Pedestrian Facilities Bicycle and pedestrian trips can have recreational and non -recreational purposes. Within urbanized areas, such as Hagerstown, the predominate use is non -recreational, such as trips to schools, shopping and work. As one moves away from the urbanized areas, recreational trips are more prevalent, such as trips to parks and scenic areas. An effective countywide system, then, would serve a balance of recreational and non - recreational trip purposes. The bicycle, in particular, can provide a healthy, non-polluting and effective means of travel for shorter trips; thereby replacing trips that might otherwise be made in an automobile. The Urban Growth Area has an extensive network of roads that serve as bicycle routes. These routes were identified through a number of sources available to the public, including the Maryland Bicycle Touring Map, the Washington County Bicycle Tours Map, the Maryland Scenic Tours Map and the Hagerstown/Washington County Transportation Study - Bikeway Systems Inventory Report. In addition, two regionally -significant pedestrian trails run along Washington County's borders: the C&O Canal Trail along the Potomac River, and the Appalachian Trail along the border with Frederick County. Deficiencies exist within this bicycle facility network, primarily in the form of gaps in the system. It is also important to note that not only do deficiencies exist as gaps in the network, but also on facilities that are already part of the network. Existing routes may be deficient if they need upgrading, such as adding and/or paving shoulders. As part of the HEP MPO long range transportation planning effort, specific recommendations were made concerning future route needs. These were developed based on current and future deficiencies, as estimated by an examination of future land use growth trends. The recommended improvements are listed below: 16 • Along MD 64 from Hagerstown east to connect with points such as Smithsburg, and other destinations outside the urbanized area: 6.9 miles. • Mt. Aetna Road from Eastern Blvd. to Mapleville Road to connect with the Washington County Farm Orchard Bicycle loop: 5.3 miles. • Hagerstown east along MD 60 at Northern Avenue to connect with points northeast outside the urbanized area, and to connect with the bicycle route already in existence along MD 418: 6.9 miles. • Downtown Hagerstown south to provide access to Halfway, along Downsville Pike; 3.3 miles. • Hagerstown south to provide access to Williamsport, possibly along Downsville Pike, Lappans Road and MD 68: 4.7 miles. • US 40 where its designation as a bicycle route ends west of Hagerstown to continue west into the non -urbanized area: 6.9 miles. • For east -west access through Hagerstown and to points west, Antietam Street at Cannon Avenue to Washington Street (MD 144) to US 40 to continue west into the non -urbanized area: 9.7 miles. • For access within Hagerstown from the southwest area of the County, Memorial Boulevard at Eastern Boulevard to Frederick Street to Baltimore Street to Locust Street to East Avenue to connect with MD 64: 1.8 miles. This connects to the Hagerstown Bicycle tour loop. • For northbound access through Hagerstown, Locust Street to Fairground Avenue to Potomac Avenue to Maple Avenue to Oak Hill Avenue: 3 miles. This connects to the Hagerstown Bicycle Tour Loop. The State of Maryland has also adopted a policy of upgrading or providing shoulders for bicycle use as part of their normal rehabilitation and maintenance work on State highways. Washington County could undertake the same kind of program on appropriate routes as part of County highway maintenance and improvement projects. The County should encourage provision and maintenance of urban sidewalks with the following features: • Minimum width of 5 feet, with 8-10 foot width in high -use areas • Buffer to motor vehicles for pedestrian safety and comfort • Lighting, shade and wind protection • Minimized cross slope with 1:100 preferred 17 Reinforced at driveways Clear path, free of street furniture Attendance to drainage, sight distances and maintenance In addition, the County should continue to support the State Highway Administration's statewide sidewalk program by submitting prioritized lists of sidewalk improvement projects along State roads within the County. This program designates funds for repair and construction of sidewalks. A list of candidate roads for sidewalks within the County Growth Areas is provided below: Virginia Avenue Robinwood Drive Halfway Boulevard Mt. Aetna Road Maryland Avenue Pennsylvania Avenue Long Meadow Road MD 60 Dual Highway Wesel Boulevard South Potomac Street/MD 65 Jefferson Boulevard Edgewood Drive Maugan's Avenue Maugansville Road Salem Road Marsh Pike Hebb Road MD 632 Goods Movement Truck Halfway Blvd. - Williamsport Boundary Medical Center - MD 64 Massey Boulevard - MD 632 US 40 - Black Rock Golf Course Wilson Blvd. - Doub's Woods Park Fountaindale Elementary to Maugan's Ave. Pennsylvania Avenue - Paramount School Long Meadow Shopping Center - Marsh Pike Cannon Avenue - Edgewood Drive Halfway Boulevard - Lowe's Cross Creek - Wilson Boulevard Eastern Boulevard - Chewsville Dual Highway - Funkstown Maugansville Road - Long Meadow Road Reiff Church Road - Maugan's Meadows Maugansville Road - Garden Spot MD 60 - Spring Valley Drive Beaver Creek Road to Funkstown Garden Lane to Halfway Boulevard The intersection of two major Interstate highways provides a logical impetus for development of truck transportation. Several national companies have large terminals in the area, there are local companies ranging from a single -truck operation to major regional carriers, and there are specialty and contract distribution operations on a regional scale. The total terminal capacity greatly exceeds local requirements, clearly showing the importance of the Hagerstown area in freight transfer operations. Due to the nature of freight transfer and the confluence of two major facilities, truck freight analysis must focus not only on locally -generated truck traffic but also on truck trips through the area. The location of the truck terminals generally follow the modern, Interstate -defined pattern, where sites are as close to the freeway system as the available land allows. It is very unusual for a 18 modern terminal to be located more than two miles from the nearest freeway interchange. Several terminals are placed close to this limit, which is an indication of the high demand for sites in this area. Terminal structures in this area, with the exception of the very smallest operators, are capable of handling many types of vehicles and freight. A few terminals, with about ten percent of the capacity, are located in or near downtown Hagerstown. Since these locations predate the Interstate system, the structures are not well suited to current trailer dimensions; in some cases full size trailers cannot fully use the site. With the Hagerstown area's status as a mature transportation hub, truck traffic in the region can be expected to grow steadily. Table 5 shows the expected annual flows, expressed in truck trailer loads, through the region in the forecast year, 2020. Blank cells in this table denote negligible volumes. The projected overall growth over 1990 volumes is 83%. Rail Hagerstown lies at the border of the historic territories of the Baltimore & Ohio (B & O), the Pennsylvania and the Norfolk & Western (N & W) railroads. (These have been replaced by CSX, Conrail, and Norfolk Southern, respectively.) Since the B&O and the Pennsylvania were direct competitors for east -west traffic, connections between these railroads was restricted. The Pennsylvania and the N&W preferred to interchange traffic closer to Washington, DC, closer to their main lines and principal markets. For these reasons, Hagerstown never developed an important classification yard, despite the local geographic advantages. A map showing the locations of the various railroad lines is shown in Figure 5. Table 5. Projected 2020 Truck Freimbt Flows by Maior Entry and Exit Points 19 I-81 to north 1-81 to south I-70 to east I-70 to northwest I-68 to west Local Destination Sum I-81 from north 1,933,215 229,011 90,684 2,252,910 I-81 from south 2,416,816 7,106 85,385 2,509,307 I-70 from east 935,087 397,978 1,333,065 I-70 from northwest 55,024 486,379 71,234 612,637 I-68 from west 325,482 23,095 348,577 Local Origin 36,349 38,706 108,785 34,733 9,978 24,549 253,100 Sum 2,778,647 2,026,945 595,164 969,820 246,095 692,925 7,309,596 19 Figure 5. Washington County Railroads Perhaps because of the competitive rivalries, rail plays only a small role in local freight transportation. Only seven percent of all freight volume originating or terminating in the HEP MPO area is carried by rail. Terminal and transfer facilities are limited. CSX Transportation operates a small local yard. Conrail and Norfolk Southern assemble locals outside the MPO area. Five railroads operate through Hagerstown today: Norfolk -Southern, Conrail, CSX, Wheeling & Lake Erie (rights over CSX tracks), and Winchester & Western (rights over Conrail tracks). The Wheeling & Lake Erie runs trains through twice a week. The Winchester & Western runs trains through five times a week. All five railroads combined send 25 to 30 trains per day through Hagerstown. Many rail lines roughly parallel the major highway corridors; topography and historic development patterns provide the basis for this structure. A major CSX branch line crosses the Potomac near Big Pool, runs north of Williamsport and Halfway, travels just west of downtown Hagerstown above street level, and heads north-northeast towards Chambersburg and Harrisburg. A branch line heads east from Hagerstown through Smithsburg, towards Gettysburg. Conrail runs a line across the region roughly parallel to the US 11 corridor, using the same viaduct with CSX, west of downtown Hagerstown. Norfolk Southern's line heads south from Hagerstown, through Shepherdstown and Charles Town towards Front Royal. There are several interchange points for these railroads in the area. The largest lies immediately southwest of downtown Hagerstown, and involves all three companies. Recently, Conrail and Norfolk Southern moved their interchange operations to their junction inside Hagerstown. While this event will increase the attractiveness of rail as a freight option, the absolute increase in the number of trains is anticipated to be small. Two to four additional trains per day are expected on the Norfolk Southern line going from Hagerstown south through Shepherdstown and Charles Town, and on the Conrail line north of Hagerstown toward Greencastle and Chambersburg in Pennsylvania. The total number of trains on each line would be about four to six per weekday. The length of trains would increase over the average for 1990, but trains longer than 20 cars would still be rare. The anticipated rail service impacts on the highway network are small. No mainline grade crossings exist on these lines inside Hagerstown. Where grade crossings do exist, they are generally well marked, and many have swing -arm gates. No conflicts between the railroads and the highways are anticipated. Grade crossings should continue to be improved as outlined in the County's Capital Improvement Program. Air Air freight comprises only a tiny fraction of the total shipping in the County. The Washington County Regional Airport is the only airport in the area with freight capacity. Air is not expected to be a significant element of the future freight transportation mix. Its expense restricts its use to time -sensitive goods: the proportion of this material in goods produced or consumed in the 21 County cannot be expected to increase significantly. The proportion of shipments in 1990 that used air transport on any leg of their journey was 0.04%; if converted to truck loads, this would represent 391 shipments, or just over one load per day. Most of this will continue to be trucked in from other airports, since consolidating shipments usually saves each carrier money. The planned extension of Runway 9/27 would, however, make the airport capable of handling larger cargo planes. It is recommended that the runway extension remain a high priority. Intermodal Transfer Two recent events, the transfer of Conrail -Norfolk Southern interchange operations and the programming of the I-70 & MD 632 (Downsville Pike) interchange, have created an opportunity for an intermodal transfer operation in the Downsville Pike area. This site has several advantages not present elsewhere in the region: it is close to both Interstates, close to the actual interchange yard, requires no major access roads, and has large parcels zoned for industrial use along the railroad right of way. A potential intermodal transfer terminal in the Downsville Pike area would require further study. The study should concentrate on the generated traffic and financial effects of the facility. Funding for the study may be drawn from State or local economic development funds, private partnership money, or any combination of these sources. Transportation Enhancement Activities Transportation enhancements are transportation -related projects that improve quality of life near transportation facilities by preserving scenic, environmental and historic sites; and expanding and improving bicycle and pedestrian facilities. The goal of enhancement activities is to better link the transportation system with its natural surroundings. The Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA) mandates that states spend ten percent of the Surface Transportation Program (STP) funds on transportation enhancement activities. These Federal STP funds are directed to states to allow for more flexible spending on enhancements to the transportation system, and to add options to the highway and mass transit network. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, in order to be eligible for Federal funding, transportation enhancement projects must be included in a Federally -approved State Transportation Improvement Plan (STIP) that includes a listing of all transportation projects including the transportation enhancements. For those metropolitan areas with a Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), the MPOs are required to develop their own prioritized list of transportation projects, for inclusion in the STIP. For those areas outside an MPO area, such as the non -urbanized area of Washington County, enhancement funding applicants work directly with the State office to ensure that their enhancement activities are included in the STIP. Without being included in a STIP, no funding will occur. Transportation enhancements are not a grant program but rather a reimbursement program. Selected enhancement projects are reimbursed by the Federal government to the States for the Federal share of the costs. The funds received from the STP can only be used to pay for up to 80 percent of the each project, with the 22 remaining portion coming from public sources such as State and/or local public funds. Federal funds can be used to pay for construction costs, design, research, and land acquisition. There are ten categories of transportation enhancements available for funding. Only those activities that fall into one of the following ten categories are eligible for funding: 1. Provision of facilities for pedestrians and bicycles. 2. Acquisition of scenic easements and scenic or historic areas. 3. Scenic or historic highway programs. 4. Landscaping and other scenic beautification. 5. Historic preservation. 6. Rehabilitation and operation of historic transportation buildings, structures, or facilities (including historic railroad facilities and canals). 7. Preservation of abandoned railroad corridors (including the conversion and use for bicycle and pedestrian trails). 8. Control and removal of outdoor advertising. 9. Archaeological planning and research. 10. Mitigation of water pollution due to highway runoff. The proposed transportation enhancement activities must have a direct relationship to the intermodal transportation system, but not necessarily to a currently planned project. The relationship may be one of. function, such as a bike path as part of the intermodal system; proximity, such as improving the viewshed of a highway; or impact, such as the preservation of an historic property adversely affected by a mass transit facility. Washington CountX Hagerstown C & O Canal rehabilitation, including aqueduct restoration at Williamsport could be considered under three different enhancement categories: provision of facilities for pedestriansibicyclists; landscaping and other scenic beautification; and rehabilitation of historic transportation facilities. Although the C & O Canal already exists as a pedestrianibicycle trail, enhancement funds may be used to upgrade sections of it that are unpaved so that it can be used as an alternative transportation facility. Development of pedestrianibicycle network throughout and within Washington County. Traffic calming/pedestrian improvements within downtown, including Summit Avenue to Public Square, Antietam Street to Public Square, N. Potomac/Franklin Streets and general gateway enhancements. 23 Acquisition of land and development of pedestrian/bicycle trail along Hamilton Run/Antietam Stream, from Northern Avenue to Funkstown could be considered as provision of facilities for pedestrians/bicyclists or as acquisition of scenic easements and scenic/historic areas. This could be accomplished as part of the Funkstown Bypass construction. Acquisition, rehabilitation and redevelopment of CSX Roundhouse could be considered as either historic preservation, or rehabilitation of historic transportation buildings, structures, or facilities. Acquisition and development of property to develop pedestrian/bicycle area in downtown, could be considered as provision of facilities for pedestrians/bicycles or acquisition of scenic easements and scenic/historic areas. At this time, there is no recommendation for additional Rail -to -Trail projects. RURAL -AGRICULTURAL AREAS Transportation Policies Manage and operate the transportation system in a manner that protects and preserves the County's farmlands, forests, open space and other vital natural and historic resources. 2. Maintain the existing transportation system to provide safe travel for all vehicles, bicycles and pedestrians. 3. Provide safe and efficient linkages to the Urban and Town Growth areas, as well as to natural, historic and recreational areas. 4. Minimize conflicts between traffic related to agricultural operations and residential uses. Rural Highways The area topography has driven the layout of the highway system in the western portions of Washington County. Interstate 70, east of Hancock, and Interstate 68 to the west provide a continuous east -west freeway route. The major north -south route is comprised of Interstate 70 to the north of Hancock and US 522 to the south. Most other through roads in this part of the County align with small valleys. The remaining highways in this area have steep grades and many sharp turns, which make them unsuitable for through traffic. There are more alternatives east of Clear Spring. MD Routes 494, 40 and 68 all provide east - west travel routes in addition to Interstate 70. MD 57 is the most important north -south route. Several other highways serve through travel, although these are typically inferior to the main routes. 24 In the northeastern portion of the County, the highway network has a generally radial configuration, with Smithsburg acting as the hub. From Boonsboro south to the Potomac River, travel routes are constrained by the terrain. East -west travel is provided by MD 34, US Alt. 40 to the north and US 340 at the southern tip of the County. Almost all other through roads run north - south following the valleys. MD 67 to the east and Harpers Ferry Road to the west are the main through routes. MD 65 (Sharpsburg Pike) provides a direct north -south route between Hagerstown and Sharpsburg through Tappans, and MD 632 (Downsville Pike) connects Hagerstown and Downsville. East -west routes in this portion of the County include MD 68, MD 63, and Bakersville Road/Keedysville Road. Highway Conditions An analysis of traffic conditions was undertaken for the highways in the rural -agricultural areas of the County. From an operations perspective, the only deficient segment that was identified under existing and future conditions was the US 340 approach to the Potomac River bridge. This segment was found to deteriorate from LOS E to LOS F from current conditions to 2020. The principal cause of the poor operating conditions on this section is the relatively heavy volume of cars, trucks and recreational vehicles climbing the steep grade in the northbound direction, which does not have a passing lane. Ten other highway segments were projected to operate at LOS D, which is not considered deficient but does indicate potential problem areas in the out years. The long range transportation plan for the Rural -Agricultural areas of Washington County proposes that a second lane in the northbound direction be added between the Potomac River Bridge and the existing four -lane section near MD 67. This would improve the LOS on this segment to provide acceptable operations. Of more concern in the rural -agricultural areas is the safety of the highway system. Based on MDOT accident data, five high accident locations were identified. One of these was located in the northeastern portion of the County at the intersection of MD 64 and MD 418, and the others were on highway sections in the western portion of the County on MD Routes 40, 144 (westbound) and 57. Measures to mitigate the safety problems at these locations were documented in the Washington County Non -Urbanized Area LRTP. Public Transportation The primary need for public transportation services in the rural -agricultural areas of Washington County is comprised of program and non -program human service transportation. Future demand for these types of services is projected to exceed current service levels. Meeting existing and future public transportation needs in these areas is a potentially costly task. Implementation of a traditional fixed route public transit approach would be neither appropriate nor cost-effective. Rather, more appropriate service delivery options include various forms of demand -responsive and paratransit approaches, which tend to be more expensive on a unit cost basis that -urban fixed route services. I 25 The long range transportation plan for the non -urbanized area of Washington County recommended that public and human service transportation be consolidated under a single provider. Since a great share of the service in the non -urban areas have a destination in the Hagerstown area, the single provider structure would likely be the most efficient means of delivering these services. A service tie to the urban area would permit convenient access to the County Commuter services. Advantages associated with this type of system include the following: • Efficient and effective operations • Strong management control • Administrative efficiency • Single recipient for State and Federal funds • Single point of service • Most cost-effective option Disadvantages are associated with the fact that the current agency providers would lose direct control over their respective transportation services. The long range public transportation priority program should consist of the following activities: • Commitments should be sought from existing transportation providers to carry other agency clients and general public, where appropriate. • Efforts to form a consolidated service provider system should be facilitated. This involves garnering support (financial as well as political) from the existing parties involved in providing human and public transportation services. • Evaluation and service delivery alternatives should be explored with respect to County Commuter services that operate in or in proximity to the non -urban areas of the County. Adoption of a more demand -responsive delivery system would prove more appropriate than fixed route services in these areas. • Assuming support exists to form a consolidated provider system, a lead service coordinating agency must be identified. The County Commuter appears to be the most appropriate entity to fill this role. • A service delivery and coordination framework should be developed among the participating agencies. This framework should be the forum for establishing the details of how service requests are processed and fulfilled. This will also need to be the forum within which the details are worked out regarding the transference of vehicles from the agencies to the consolidated service provider. 26 Bicycle and Pedestrian Facilities The primary purpose of bicycle and pedestrian travel in the rural -agricultural areas is recreational. Many of the existing bicycle loop tours pass through the rural -agricultural areas of the County. The long range transportation plans identified route linkages that would improve bicycle and pedestrian access. Recommendations for the rural -agricultural areas of the County are summarized below: Within the western section of the Rural -Agricultural area, a proposed bicycle route along Woodmont Road (3.1 miles) from the existing Apple County tour, south to Pearre Road. A route along Woodmont Road would provide access to Sideling Hill Wildlife Management Area, and the C&O Canal. 2. There is an east -west deficiency west of the Conococheague River. Currently there is no direct access from Hagerstown to the western portion of the Rural - Agricultural Area. A route along US 40 from the intersection of MD 63, 10.8 miles west to Ernstville Road would provide that needed access. This proposed route passes by the Wilson Bridge, the County's oldest and longest stone arch bridge, restored as a walking bridge. Additionally, US 40 passes through Clear Spring. Its terminus would provide access to the Canal from the eastern area of Washington County. A route along US 40 would provide an alternative to travel entirely on the canal towpath from areas west of Hagerstown. A proposed 7.7 mile route along the southern portion of Harpers Ferry Road, within the southeastern portion of the area, would provide access from Sharpsburg and Antietam National Battlefield to Harpers Ferry National Historical Park and areas within West Virginia, as well as additional access to the C&O Canal. The proposed route would connect with the existing route along the northern half of Harpers Ferry Road. 4. A proposed 5.4 mile route along MD 67, Rohrersville Road, from Gapland Road south, would provide access to MD 180, US 340, C&O Canal and Harpers Ferry from points north. This proposed route would provide north -south access from the southeastern tip of the County to connect with points north in addition to providing access to Gathland State Park at the north end of the proposed route. In addition, it connects with the South Mountain -Sharpsburg tour loop. 5, A proposed 3.5 mile route along MD 64 from Ringgold south would provide more direct north -south access within the northeastern section of the non -urbanized area. Currently, the only north -south access in that area is along Edgemont Road and Mount Lena Road, the eastern leg of the Farm Orchard tour loop. MD 64 would also provide access to points north in Pennsylvania. 27 Pedestrian walkway improvements should also be implemented in a manner and scale appropriate to rural village development. Recommended features of rural section sidewalks include: • Keep sidewalk out of clear zone • Consider side street crossings, turning speeds and sight distances • Minimize number of driveways and their impact on pedestrians • Keep pedestrians behind guardrail • Provide adequate drainage • Upgrade to curbing when possible In addition, opportunities for provision of recreational walking trails should be identified. Ideally, these trails would provide linkages between residential areas, commercial areas, schools, parks and other recreation areas. Potential trail opportunities could utilize utility easements, new or existing roadway rights of way, green spaces within developments and/or abandoned rail lines. Transportation Enhancement Activities Within the rural -agricultural areas of Washington County, there are several potential transportation enhancement projects that, if funding is available, could possibly be built within the next 20 years. Possible candidates for projects include the following: Fort Frederick State Park, with the abandoned Western Maryland railroad tracks running alongside, is a project that preserves an abandoned railroad corridor. C&O Canal could be, enhanced as a scenic or historic highway program, or provision of facilities for pedestrians and bicyclists. Although the C&O Canal already exists as a pedestrian and bicycle trail, enhancement funds may be used to upgrade sections of it that are unpaved so that bicyclists can use it as an alternate means of transportation. Appalachian Trail may be upgraded with the use of enhancement funds as it passes through both scenic and historic sites including Gathland State Park, Washington Monument State Park, Greenbrier State Park and Fort Richie. Acquisition of historic easements south of Sharpsburg including battlefield sites would be eligible for funding. All transportation enhancements identified as possible projects in the future are intended to connect transportation systems with the surrounding environment. Enhancements require looking at new transportation alternatives to the highway system and mass transit and are intended to add a benefit to the community environment. Enhancement projects are financed through the National Highway System and Surface Transportation Program funds. Allocations from these funding programs are estimated in Appendix D of the HEP MPO LRTP. 28 RELATIONSHIP OF TRANSPORTATION ELEMENT TO COUNTY PLANNING PRINCIPLES The transportation element has been formulated to specifically address and support the County's comprehensive planning principles, as summarized below: 1. Efficiency, Economy, and Timeliness in Public Expenditures for Services and Facilities Which Promote or Support Growth. Two of the formal transportation policies for the Urban and Town Growth Areas specifically support this planning principle. The first policy calls for development and maintenance of an integrated multimodal transportation system that supports existing and planned development; and a second policy calls for maintenance of the Washington County Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance (APFO). Together, these policies will lead to a continuing transportation system planning process that recognizes and addresses the interrelationships between land use and transportation. Also, by prioritizing the recommended improvements and constraining them in terms of financial feasibility, the transportation element addresses issues of timeliness, efficiency and economy in public expenditures. Adherence to these policies will help to ensure that the County's transportation infrastructure promotes and supports growth. 2. Expansion and Diversification of Cultural, Housing and Economic Opportunities. One of the transportation policies calls for provision of a multimodal transportation system that meets the mobility needs of the citizens of Washington County, including the transit -dependent. Pursuit of this policy will lead to an equitable transportation system that enhances personal mobility and accessibility to jobs, recreation and services for all citizens. Specifically, the recommendations concerning public transportation will help to ensure that more citizens, particularly the transit -dependent, have access to cultural, housing and economic opportunities. 3. Maintenance of Distinct Alternative Urban, Suburban, Town and Rural Environments. The transportation element explicitly addresses this planning principle by including separate and distinct transportation policies for the Urban and Town Growth areas and the Rural -Agricultural areas. The transportation system improvements recommended in the HEP MPO and Washington County Non -Urbanized Area long range transportation plans reflect the County's desire to provide a transportation system that is sensitive to the local impacted areas. For example, all of the major capacity increasing projects are located within the Urban and Town Growth Areas to help preserve the rural agricultural environment, while at the same time providing necessary linkages between the distinct areas. 29 4. Protection of Natural Resources and the Function of Vital Natural Systems. Several of the transportation policies for both the Urban and Town Growth Areas and Rural - Agricultural Areas focus on protection of natural resources. The Urban and Town Growth Area policy that calls for planning, development and encouragement of the use of alternatives to single occupant vehicles could result in reduced vehicle miles of travel, which would mean reductions in vehicle emissions, fuel usage and congestion. Pursuit of this policy will also help maintain Washington County's attainment status with respect to the Clean Air Act Amendment of 1990. One of the Rural -Agricultural Area transportation policies also calls for management and operation of the transportation system in a manner that protects and preserves the County's farmlands, forests, open space and other vital natural and historic resources. 5. Preservation of the Viability of Agriculture in Washington County. The Rural -Agricultural Area transportation element addresses this planning principle through its policy to minimize conflicts between farm -related vehicles and automobiles. In keeping with this policy, the Washington County Non -Urbanized Area LRTP focused on safety-related improvements in the Rural -Agricultural Areas of the County. 30 Appendix A State Consolidated Transportation Program and County Capital Improvement Program Proj ects MIMI aR os cr 00 CL CP CR, CL ,o C4 IN CD CL C-4 %0 ; ;.N Ci CD, 00 �,hin� ci M$ CM tn' :Cll CD '.5 ---gm cr 1.1. 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