The Salisbury City Council has approved a significant change to its traffic study policy, a decision made during a meeting on February 17, 2024. This adjustment lowers the threshold for triggering traffic studies for new developments, a move aimed at better managing the increasing traffic concerns associated with growth in the city.
Planning Manager Victoria Bailiff and Traffic Engineer Victoria Trexler, referred to by Mayor Tamara Sheffield as “the Victorias,” presented the revised language. The updates to the Land Development Ordinance (LDO) have been in development since the previous fall. Currently, a traffic analysis is required only when a project generates more than 3,000 vehicles per day, a figure that staff consider excessively high.
The newly approved policy introduces a tiered system for traffic assessments. The threshold for a full traffic impact analysis has been decreased to 1,500 vehicles per day, the highest tier in the new framework. This comprehensive analysis will be conducted in collaboration with the North Carolina Department of Transportation for state-maintained roads.
The second tier, applicable to projects generating between 500 and 1,499 vehicles per day, will require a condensed traffic assessment letter. This letter evaluates nearby intersections, driveways, and other developments, assessing their impact on the roadway. The lowest tier, triggered by 100 to 499 vehicles per day, necessitates a Trip Generation Letter, which projects the traffic created by the development and its effects on the local roadways.
Changes to the ordinance also outline expectations for these assessments. The provided studies will compare anticipated traffic volume to roadway capacity, assess the level of service, and examine queuing factors that might affect traffic in the area. A comparative table illustrating the existing volume to capacity ratio will inform decisions on allowed increases.
In addition to vehicle counts, the ordinance allows for traffic studies to be triggered by internal queuing factors, such as drive-through lines, at the discretion of city staff. The technical review committee and planning board have already recommended approval of this text change.
During the meeting, Council member Carlton Jackson inquired about how Salisbury’s policy aligns with those of neighboring municipalities. Trexler responded, stating, “This is consistent with all municipalities across the state. They are just facing that 3,000 daily trips is no longer sufficient. Our area’s developments have changed how they’re shaped.”
Mayor Sheffield praised the efforts of Bailiff and Trexler, highlighting the importance of addressing community concerns regarding traffic as development continues. She remarked, “We are growing. We have neighborhoods who have concerns about traffic. Hearing our neighbors and saying, ‘hey, legally this is where it is, but what fits us?’ I appreciate that collaboration across departments and listening to citizens.”
The City Council unanimously approved the language change, setting the stage for a more responsive approach to future developments and their impact on traffic patterns in Salisbury.
