Greenways — Administrative Process

In 1994 the NCDOT adopted administrative guidelines to consider greenways and greenway crossings during the highway planning process. This policy was incorporated so that critical corridors which have been adopted by localities for future greenways will not be severed by highway construction. Following are the text for the Greenway Policy and Guidelines for implementing it.

Administrative Action to Include Local Adopted Greenways Plans
in the NCDOT Highway Planning Process
January, 1994
In concurrence with the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA) of 1991 and the Board of Transportation's Bicycle Policy of 1978 (updated in 1991) and Pedestrian Policy of 1993, the North Carolina Department of Transportation recognizes the importance of incorporating local greenways plans into its planning process for the development and improvement of highways throughout North Carolina.

NCDOT Responsibilities:
The Department will incorporate locally adopted plans for greenways into the ongoing planning processes within the Statewide Planning (thoroughfare plans) and the Planning and Environmental (project plans) Branches of the Division of Highways. This incorporation of greenway plans will be consistent throughout the department. Consideration will be given to including the greenway access as a part of the highway improvement.

Where possible, within the policies of the Department, within the guidelines set forth in provisions for greenway crossings, or other greenway elements, will be made as a part of the highway project or undertaken as an allowable local expenditure.

Local Responsibilities:
Localities must show the same commitment to building their adopted greenway plans as they are requesting when they ask the state to commit to providing for a certain segment of that plan. It is the responsibility of each locality to notify the Department of greenway planning activity and adopted greenway plans and to update the Department with all adopted additions and changes in existing plans.

It is also the responsibility of each locality to consider the adopted transportation plan in their greenways planning and include its adopted greenways planning activities within their local transportation planning process. Localities should place in priority their greenways construction activities and justify the transportation nature of each greenway segment. When there are several planned greenway crossings of a proposed highway improvement, the locality must provide justification of each and place the list of crossings in priority order. Where crossings are planned, transportation rights of way should be designated or acquired separately to avoid jeopardizing the future transportation improvements.

Guidelines for NCDOT to Comply With Administrative Decision to Incorporate Local Greenways into Highway Planning Process

• Thoroughfare plans will address the existence of greenways planning activity, which has been submitted by local areas. Documentation of mutually agreed upon interface points between the thoroughfare plan and a greenway plan will be kept, and this information will become a part of project files.
  
  
• Project Planning Reports will address the existence of locally adopted greenways segment plans, which may affect the corridor being planned for a highway improvement. It is, however, the responsibility of the locality to notify the Department of the adopted greenways plans (or changes to its previous plans) through its current local transportation plan, as well as its implementation programs.
  
  
• Where local greenways plans have not been formally adopted or certain portions of the greenways plans have not been adopted, the Department may note this greenway planning activity but is not required to incorporate this information into its planning reports.
  
  
• Where the locality has included adopted greenways plans as a part of its local transportation plan and a segment (or segments) of these greenways fall within the corridor of new highway construction or a highway improvement project, the feasibility study and/or project planning report for this highway improvement will consider the effects of the proposed highway improvement upon the greenway in the same manner as it considers other planning characteristics of the project corridor, such as archeological features or land use.
  
  
• Where the locality has justified the transportation versus the leisure use importance of a greenway segment and there is no greenway alternative of equal importance nearby, the project planning report will suggest inclusion of the greenway crossing, or appropriate greenway element, as an incidental part of the highway expenditure.
  
  
• Where the locality has not justified the transportation importance of a greenway segment, the greenway crossing, or appropriate greenway element, may be included as a part of the highway improvement plan if the local government covers the cost.
  
  
• A locality may add any appropriate/acceptable greenway crossing or greenway element at their own expense to any highway improvement project as long as it meets the design standards of the NCDOT.
  
  
• The NCDOT will consider funding for greenway crossings, and other appropriate greenway elements only if the localities guarantee the construction of and/or connection with other greenway segments. This guarantee should be in the form of inclusion in the local capital improvements program or NCDOT/municipal agreement.
  
  
• If the state pays for the construction of a greenway incidental to a highway improvement and the locality either removes the connecting greenway segments from its adopted greenways plans or decides not to construct its agreed upon greenway segment, the locality will reimburse the state for the cost of the greenway incidental feature. These details will be handled through a municipal agreement.
  
  
• Locality must accept maintenance responsibilities for state-built greenways, or portions thereof.
  
  Details will be handled through a municipal agreement.
  
  
  
  

02/12/07