A study of a section of US 64 between Pittsboro and Cary in Chatham and Wake counties is currently underway. The 19 mile section extends from the US 64/US 64 Business split in Pittsboro to the US 1/US 64 interchange in Cary (see Study Area). This study is a part of the North Carolina Department of Transportation's (NCDOT) Strategic Highway Corridors initiative and continues the effort developed in Phase I of the US 64-NC 49 Corridor Study.

The US 64 Corridor Study is a joint effort between the NCDOT, Capitol Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO), Town of Apex, Town of Cary, Town of Pittsboro, Wake County and Chatham County. Representatives of these groups are joined by other agencies and organizations on a Corridor Study Team. The Corridor Study Team will oversee and guide decisions made throughout the study.

The purpose of the study is to develop a master plan to preserve and enhance mobility and safety along US 64, while balancing community access and interests. This plan will be used to guide development and improvements along the corridor from US 1 in Cary to US 64 Business in Pittsboro.

The master plan includes two distinct components, a short-term plan and a 30-year long-term plan:

• The short-term plan consists of interim strategies to improve mobility, safety and pedestrian accessibility at major intersections.
• The 30 year long-term plan consists of improvements needed to serve the anticipated amount of traffic in the year 2035 and later. It proposes to convert many of the major intersections to interchanges or overpasses.

Currently, there is no funding for any improvements in the short-term plan and the long-term plan.

US 64 is a important highway in North Carolina. The route under study serves three major functions:

• Statewide Travel - US 64 is often used to travel between the Raleigh area, Greensboro area (via US 421), and Charlotte area (via NC 49), as the highway serves as an alternate route to the often congested Interstate 40/85 corridor. As traffic volumes continue to increase along these interstate routes, US 64 will become an even more important highway to facilitate the efficient and safe movement of people and goods across the state. US 64 is one of the key highways in the state as it is a designated highway on the North Carolina Strategic Highway Corridors system and the North Carolina Intrastate System. The highway is also part of the National Highway System and is signed as a United States route indicating it's national significance.

  
  

• Regional Travel - US 64 is the only major east-west route in the Raleigh-Durham metropolitan area between Wake and Chatham Counties. Many commuters use this route to travel between Pittsboro, Apex, Cary, and Raleigh for work, shopping, and/or dining.

  
  

• Local Travel - Many neighborhoods are located along the US 64 Corridor. Residents use the highway to travel to local shopping centers, community parks, area schools, and the Eva Perry Regional Library.

The proposed extension of NC 540 (Raleigh Outer Loop) is expected to enhance the desirability of the western Wake and eastern Chatham county area further, as motorists traveling to the Research Triangle Park (RTP), one of the major employment centers

US 1 near the Neuse River in 2005

in the region, will experience shorter travel times. Roadways connecting to the proposed extension of NC 540, such as US 64, are anticipated to see an increase of traffic resulting from motorists using the new highway to travel to and from RTP. Many of examples of the increased traffic on roadways connecting to the Raleigh Outer Loop (also known as I-540 and NC 540) can be found throughout the region. One notable example is along US 1 between I-540 and Wake Forest. Traffic along US 1 near the Neuse River has increased from 39,000 vehicles per day in 1998 to 63,000 vehicles per day in 2007 (I-540 was completed between RTP and US 1 in 2003). Travel times and congestion along US 1 have substantially increased as a result of the additional vehicles using the highway.

The need exists to develop a plan to preserve and enhance mobility and safety along US 64 as a result of the anticipated increase in motorists using the highway. Traffic volumes in 2007 ranged from 16,000 vehicles per day near Jordan Lake to 54,000 vehicles per day near US 1. The existing traffic volumes are causing several of the traffic signals in the Cary and Apex to fail in rush hours, meaning there are more motorists who want to go through the signals than the signals can allow (see the Existing Conditions page for more details). In 2035 traffic volumes are projected to range from 44,000 vehicles per day near Jordan Lake to 70,000 vehicles per day near US 1, with an estimated 68,000 vehicles per day just west of the proposed NC 540 extension. Without additional improvements to US 64, congestion and travel times are expected to substantially worsen, in a manner similar to US 1.

• 30 year Long-term Plan - The Study Team will develop designs that show the ultimate improvements needed to provide long-term mobility and safety and serve the anticipated amount of traffic in the year 2035 and later. These designs will be produced on aerial photography indicating the ultimate footprint of the highway and other features such as proposed right-of-way, property lines, access locations, interchange configurations, overpasses, and general pavement markings in an easy to read format.

• Short-term Plan - The Study Team will develop a short-term plan consisting of interim strategies to improve mobility, safety and pedestrian accessibility at major intersections. These types of improvements are typically smaller and less expensive than the long-term improvements, but can greatly affect traffic operations and enhance safety along the corridor. Examples of short-term improvements include the addition of turn lanes, enhancements to traffic signal timing, innovative solutions such as a superstreet, modifications to median openings and other access management improvements. These short-term improvements will be compatible with the long-term solutions for the corridor. The success or longevity of the short-term plan will determine when improvements in the 30 year long-term plan are needed.

• Community Involvement - The Study Team held community workshops and meetings to receive input, comments, and answer questions about the study. Two sets of workshops were held in May 2008 and April 2009, a community meeting was held in July 2009, and two stakeholder meetings were held in October and December 2009. In additions to the workshops and other community meetings, three newsletters were distributed and this website will be updated regularly.

• Phasing Plan - The Study Team will develop a plan for the implementing the recommendations of the study, for both the short-term and long-term improvements.

• Land Use Strategies - The Study Team will analyze the existing and proposed future land uses along the corridor, for compatibility with the 30 year long-term plan and provide recommendations on changes (if any). As part of this evaluation, the Study Team will incorporate concepts from the Land Use Guidelines for Mobility Protection document.

• Agreements - Following the completion of the study, the Study Team will shepherd the development and signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between study partners to incorporate recommendations into transportation and land use plans and to continue to collaborate on decision-making along the corridor.