Orange County NC Website
$47 million/ mile; Average speed: 24.5 mph <br />Proposed Durham-Orange BRT-High Alternative <br />$55 million / mile; Average speed: 26.7 mph (LRT = 29.6 mph) <br />Final Observations: <br />BRT vs. LRT <br />LRT Costs more than BRT-High; Cost premium to Orange County plan is approximately $25 - <br />$30 million over the life of the plan <br />For extra investment, Orange County receives <br />- Faster end-to-end travel times <br />- More reliable travel times <br />- Stronger track record of influencing land use/development <br />- Better long-term operating cost efficiency per mile and per trip <br />- Electric propulsion and less reliance on foreign oil <br />- Leveraging 3.5 miles o# Orange County investment into a 17-mile system from <br />Durham to Chapel Hill <br />Questions / Discussion <br />Commissioner McKee made reference to the slide on catchment areas and said that just <br />because the park and ride is there it does not necessarily mean that people will use it, unless <br />there is something driving it, such as high gas prices and congested traffic. He asked what kind <br />of traffic congestion would drive people to use park and ride. <br />Patrick McDonough said that there is a model that is based on a"misery index" of traffic <br />congestion and convenience, ete: One of the tools they use to monitor this is a survey. <br />Commissioner McKee said that he is very leery of spending this much money on a long- <br />term project without having all of the factors reviewed. <br />Commissioner Jacobs pointed out that Duke is opening a new hospital next year and is <br />not adding any parking. <br />Commissioner Jacobs asked if the Board has discussed all of the issues raised about <br />impacts on New Hope Creek. <br />Patrick McDonough said that from Triangle Transit's perspective, they will be talking <br />about it in the next phase of study. <br />Commissioner Jacobs said that he would like the Board of County Commissioners to <br />discuss this as well in the next phase. <br />Commissioner Jacobs made reference to an article in the News and Observer from the <br />John Locke Foundation regarding public transit. He asked if anyone was going to write a <br />response to this. <br />