CARY - Two Western Wake towns aligned with many of their residents this week, expressing reservations about a state report that details future plans for a stretch of U.S. 64 between Cary and Pittsboro.

Cary and Apex planners drafted a unified response to the report.

It pinpoints several contentions to the study that were also raised earlier this month in a petition signed by thousands of Western Wake citizens.

The Cary Town Council approved the joint statement at its meeting Thursday.

Apex's council was expected to discuss it at a Tuesday meeting.

If both approve the joint response, the towns would send the comments about the U.S. 64 Draft Corridor Study to the transportation committee of the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization, a group that coordinates work between local governments and the N.C. Department of Transportation.

NCDOT released the draft study in May.

The report, which takes a 30-year look at growing the four-lane, 19-mile stretch into a freeway, has no allotted timeline or funding in place.

The towns' draft response includes a list of nine comments where consensus between town planning staffs was reached.

For example, officials in both Cary and Apex want the state to hold off on proposed plans to implement short-term road improvements along U.S. 64 from U.S. 1 to N.C. 540, at least until the state completes the Western Wake Freeway and opens it to traffic.

The move is necessary, according to the joint statement, so that "the effects of the change in travel patterns can be evaluated."

Other areas of agreement between the two towns include the following proposals by the NCDOT:

Conduct a speed study along U.S. 64 from Kellyridge Road to U.S. 1, prior to and after N.C. 540 opens.

Incorporate a "green/boulevard" feel with all improvements, where possible.

Place landscaping in the median and fencing along U.S. 64 to encourage students to use the existing crosswalk at Laura Duncan Drive.

Cary officials made note of a few additional areas of disagreement between the town and the state.

Cary would like the NCDOT to reconsider its decision to include so-called "superstreet" loops, primarily along a 0.7-mile stretch of U.S. 64 between Edinburgh Drive and Mackenon Drive/Chalon Drive.

Under the superstreet scheme, all side-street drivers would have to turn right onto U.S. 64.

To go back the other way, they would make U-turns across the median.

Cars traveling in all directions would get more green-light time than they do now, and traffic engineers say even the side-street traffic would move more smoothly.

The state removed the superstreet recommendation for Laura Duncan Drive in Apex from its plans amid intense public outcry.

Cary officials would also like the NCDOT to maintain U.S. 64 as a four-lane thoroughfare - despite the fact that both Cary's comprehensive transportation plan and the U.S. 64 Draft Corridor Study both envision portions of the road growing to six lanes.

In the statement, Cary also backed two recommendations touted by grassroots group Save 64: renaming the current U.S. 64 corridor to U.S. 64 Business/Tryon Road and designating a toll-free N.C. 540 bypass of the proposed Business 64.

But in a staff report prepared by Cary planner Juliet Andes, the town acknowledged that a toll-free designation is "beyond the control of the study and/or town. "

Without the option of tolls as a funding source, "...this roadway has no other identified funding source and would not be under construction at this time, which may further increase the future traffic volumes along the current U.S. 64," the report said.

Staff Writer Sadia Latifi contributed to this report.