Transportation Plan - Town of Garner

An important part of the planning process was the contact that was made
with the public, which was always reported back to the Steering
Committee at each meeting. Over 160 people responded to the survey
that was provided, 40% of whom were Garner residents, with many
respondents citing extending Timber Drive eastward, public
transportation, and cycling / walking options as core concerns for the
Town. Appendices A and B provide detailed reports of the public
comments that were received throughout the planning process.
Chapter 3: Existing Conditions reports the existing conditions assessment
for Garner’s roadways, transit services and Bicycle/Pedestrian modes of
travel, highlighting deficiencies as appropriate. Along with the input
received from the public, analyses were conducted based on outputs of
the Triangle Regional Model (TRM) and Quality‐Level of Service software
to estimate before‐and‐after performance. Notable issues identified in
this Chapter include the lack of east‐west connectivity across the Town; a
trends towards lower connectivity between neighborhoods that is
reducing the number of options for all modes of travel and increasing
pressure on minor and major thoroughfares; the lack of town‐wide
transit service; and the notable number of people, including school‐age
children, that are walking and bicycling throughout the Town. Appendix
C contains detailed cross‐section diagrams for 11 of the Town’s most
important roadways, each of which includes recommendations for
improvements.
Chapter 4: Recommendations opens with a primer on some of the
changing trends that will affect the recommendations in the Plan as well
as the demands that will be placed on the transportation system. While
the current economic downturn has stifled rapid development, business
conditions and traffic demand were expected to resume. However, past
trends such as women entering the workforce in large numbers; a trend
towards decentralization in housing; reduction in household size; flat
public transportation usage; and artificially low fuel prices are all at an
end or nearing their end as significant drivers of transportation usage and
travel patterns. The new trends that are expected to influence
transportation in the coming decades; comments from the public and
Steering Committee; and technical analyses were used to shape the
recommendations for specific travel modes.
A one‐page summary of the key recommendations for each mode of
travel is shown on the following page.
Executive Summary Page | 4