The Triangle
Last night marked the first meeting of the Orange County Board of Commissioners this year and hopefully the first post in a push by OrangePolitics to take a deeper look at the board and its biweekly meetings. Since the board had not met in over a month, the agenda was quite crowded, but a few items are worth delving into.
Last week, the Meadowmont Community Association (our homeowners' association) sent out a letter (a paper letter, via actual mail!) with the nominal purpose of informing residents of upcoming hearings before Town Council on the routing of the proposed light rail line. (For details on the issue, see my first blog post and my followup.) It omitted some important details however, so I wrote a response and emailed it around to some of my neighbors. I've posted it on my new single-issue website http://meadowmontlightrail.com, and I'm reprinting it below. I hope everyone has a great 2012. — Geoffrey F. Green
Hope some folks will join me in observing the Orange Commissioners' work session on transit, Thursday, 7 PM, at the Southern Human Services Center on Homestead Road.
The title of the agenda item: Triangle Regional Transit Program – Orange County Bus and
Rail Investment Plan; Alternatives Analysis and the Locally Preferred Alternative. There are two attachments. The first was compiled by County staff and is interesting, in many ways.
Ruby (with Izzy) were the bulk of the citizens in the room for the Commissioners' discussion of transit last last month. Because Izzy declared that he had other priorities, Ruby left me to let the Commissioners know that the grassroots organization was out there waiting for a signal from the Commissioners to get going on a transit referendum. It will most likely happen in the November 2012 election
Durham's 60% to 40% margin for the 1/2 percent transit sales tax
eclipsed Mecklenburg's 58-42 margin on its initial vote on the same
issue in 1998. In 2012, the two allowed dates for a similar referendum
are the primary (currently scheduled for May) and the November general
election. Putting the issue on the ballot will involve approval by the
Orange County Commissioners, the Durham-Chapel Hill Carrboro MPO, the
Burlington-Alamance MPO, and the Triangle Transit Board.
News release from City of Durham
The Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Metropolitan Planning Organization (DCHC MPO) is hosting open house sessions in Durham, Chapel Hill, and Hillsborough where residents can provide input on the proposed Durham and Orange Counties Bus and Rail Investment Plans.
The plans address the need for enhanced public transportation in the Triangle to serve its growing populations as well as provide opportunities for low-to-moderate income families to get to work, educational opportunities, and other cities in the region. The plans outline the variety of revenue sources necessary to support the proposed light rail, commuter rail, and expanded local and regional bus services.
Open house sessions for residents to learn more about these proposed plans are scheduled at the following locations:
- June 7 from 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. - Southwest Library, 3605 Shannon Road, Durham
- June 8 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. - Holton Career and Resource Center's Senior Room, Second Floor, 401 N. Driver St., Durham
- June 14 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. - Chapel Hill Town Hall, 405 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Chapel Hill
- June 15 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. - North Regional Library, 221 Milton Rd., Durham
- June 16 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. - Orange County Library, 137 W. Margaret Lane, Hillsborough
A short presentation will be given periodically at each open house session and staff will be available to discuss the proposed plans on a one-on-one basis with the public.
Residents who are unable to attend the open house sessions are encouraged to view the proposed investment plan for Durham on the DCHC MPO website atwww.dchcmpo.org. The proposed Orange County Bus and Rail Investment Plan will be available on the DCHC MPO website beginning Tuesday, June 7. Residents may submit comments by e-mail until June 17 to comments@dchcmpo.org or at the open house sessions.
The Durham Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) will host a public hearing on the Durham Bus and Rail Investment Plan during its regular session meeting on June 13 at 7 p.m. in the Commissioners' Chambers, located in the Durham County Administrative Complex, 200 E. Main St., Durham. The Durham BOCC is expected to take formal action on the Durham County Bus and Rail Transit Investment Plan during the Durham BOCC meeting on June 27 at 7 p.m.
The Transportation Advisory Committee, which is the policy-making board of the DCHC MPO, will consider approval of both investment plans at its June 22 meeting at 9 a.m. in the Committee Room of City Hall, located at 101 City Hall Plaza, Durham. The public is also invited to provide comments on the plans at this meeting.
For more information about the proposed investment plans, visit the DCHC MPO website at www.dchcmpo.org or contact Andy Henry at (919) 560-4366, ext. 36419.
Date:
Thursday, June 16, 2011 - 4:00pm to 7:00pm
Location:
Orange County Library, 137 W. Margaret Lane, Hillsborough
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