Program Description
The Alignment Evaluation Program (AEP) is a technical assistance program for the CRTPO jurisdictions.
Through this program, CRTPO staff will assist member jurisdiction staff similar to the Traffic Data Program, assistance with project cost estimates, and other services to enhance planning and engineering needs at the local level. The overarching goal is to expand the partnership between CRTPO staff and the member jurisdictions.
The AEP is intended to provide a high-level conceptual evaluation based on ArcGIS and Autodesk (Infraworks) data to provide analysis and evaluation of potential transportation projects along facilities included within the CRTPO’s Comprehensive Transportation Plan (CTP) and other locally adopted plan.
At this time, the AEP will be limited to the following categories:
- New roadway alignments
- Roadway improvements (road widening, road extension, etc.)
- Intersection options (roundabout, traffic signals, turn lanes, etc.)
- Multi-use paths (including sidewalks and greenways)
- Bike lanes (road diets, new bike lanes, etc.)
Transit, rail, and interchanges (grade separation) will not be part of the program at this time.
The purpose of the AEP is to improve the accuracy of the scope of the project by refining the following parameters:
- Potential facility cross-section
- Multi-modal enhancements (sidewalks, multi-use path, bike lanes)
- Built environment and natural constraints
- Planning-level cost estimate (including right-of-way acquisition)
The AEP is intended to be the initial step in the process to develop a project. Member jurisdictions should be prepared to undertake additional planning, design, and NEPA requirements following the completion of this evaluation. Further considerations will be discussed during the coordination meeting between CRTPO staff and the jurisdiction representative.
Guidelines
- Analysis is for a CTP designated project only (or under consideration).
- Preference will be given to a project included in a member jurisdiction’s locally adopted plan.
- Work required to be completed by a developer as part of a land development proposal is not eligible for this program.
- This program is intended to evaluate one or multiple scenarios that best fit an alignment for a project, but not to pre-determine any design requirements such as right-of-way width, typical section, and other design aspects (e.g. speed limit).
- This analysis will not constitute an exclusion to any local, state, or federal requirements, such as environmental studies or feasibility studies (e.g. NCDOT express design).
- The AEP is available to member jurisdictions throughout the year, but the request could take 2-3 months to be completed depending on CRTPO staff workload.
- There is no limit on the number of requests per year, but this will be determined based on the CRTPO staff workload and the overall number of requests within that year from other jurisdictions.
- A kickoff meeting (virtual/in-person) between the jurisdiction and CRTPO Staff will be conducted at the beginning of the process to review the scope of work, schedule, limitations, and deliverables.
- Concept plans will be labeled as “Concept only, not for construction,” and will not be sealed by a licensed professional engineer.
- The program will not provide traffic simulation, traffic signal timing, traffic impact analysis (TIA), or other traffic/transportation studies and output.
- The program will not supersede other studies; but may be used to provide a more refined analysis on previous work in order to further develop the scope of the potential project.
Alignment Evaluation Program Request Form
If you have any questions, please contact us at email@crtpo.org.