Agenda - 02-18-2010 - Attachment 2

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Attachment 2 Proposed OPT Hillsborough in Town Route Business Plan February 8, 2010 Prepared by JerryPassmore, Director, Dept. on Aging Al Terry, Orange Public Transportation Manager Description: Orange Public Transportation (OPT), a division of the Dept. on Aging, operates public routes including para-transit in Orange County outside the Chapel Hill- Carrboro Transit area since 1980. OPT partners with Chapel Hill Transit (CHT) and Triangle Transit (TT) on intercity routes coming in and going from its service area. The Town of Hillsborough is part of OPT's service area. Orange Public Transportation Mission Statement: Orange County Public Transportation is a transit organization committed to promoting a healthful quality of life for all residents of Orange County. OPT strives to provide a comprehensive continuum of locally accessible, community based transportation services. As a primary transportation resource for the county, we have a responsibility to serve residents with transportation needs. OPT is dedicated to continuously improving the quality and economic value of transit services, locally and regionally. Market Analysis: The Town of Hillsborough has the largest concentration of Orange County residents outside Chapel Hill-Carrboro area. It has become a growing community with several identified areas of low income and older citizens that need improved access to jobs, health and social services, and to local businesses distributed in Hillsborough and outside the area. Other Hillsborough citizens are now considering public commuter services to the regional job market in light of the increase cost of vehicle operation and difficulty finding and increase cost of job site parking. The Orange County Transportation Human Services Advisory Board have studied for several months the need to improve public access by establishing an OPT in-town route that also serves as a feeder service to the TT Public 420 route that connects Hillsborough to Chapel Hill. The Town of Hillsborough will assist Orange County in an outreach process to solicit feedback on the proposed route and help advertise the service through it's website, press releases, cable access channel, neighborhood watch organizations, and an on-line survey, if deemed helpful. Route Design: The proposed Hillsborough In-town route (attached) provides stops in low income areas that are not already serviced by Orange Public Transportation, park/ride lot, human service agency locations, and other county facilities. Stops are less than a %4 mile from each other on the route in order to provide easy access. The route is designed to connect with the existing public route 420 (Hillsborough to Chapel Hill) at the park/ride lot at the