Minutes 02-07-2012 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Commissioner McKee asked to go back to the slide, "What are the New Starts Criteria?". He said that he remembers hearing that while the bus would be about four minutes slower in the trip time than the light rail and less costly, the tipping factor was the increased economic development that would be generated by the light rail. However, on January 24th, he heard a definitive statement that this is not an economic development plan, but it is a transit plan and it is if they are mutually exclusive. He said that this is confusing. Patrick McDonough said that the key thing here is moving people and there are some economic advantages to this. The transportation benefits are also very strong. Regarding economic development, the goal is to make it a win-win-win situation. The overall line that is recommended is the one that maximizes economic opportunity. Commissioner McKee said that there are constant changes in this proposed plan and that concerns him. He said that unless and until things are tightened down, he does not want to ask the voters to have a perpetual '/2-cent sales tax. Patrick McDonough suggested that next week at the work session that the County Commissioners bring particular items of concern. Chair Pelissier said that no one thinks that the County will approve a plan without the interlocal agreements in place. She said that the plan is only the starting point, costs may go up and down, and other components can change over a 20-year span of the plan. Commissioner Yuhasz made reference to the LPA and said that the BRT meets the same criteria as LRT. The only thing that is significantly different with LRT is in the economic development aspect of the project. He said that he does not prefer this recommended alignment. Commissioner Gordon said that what will be voted on tomorrow at the DCHC-MPO TAC meeting is the LPA. Triangle Transit is asking for a definite decision to submit the New Starts application in August. She asked what decision points needed to be made for tomorrow's vote. Wib Gulley said that Triangle Transit is not asking the Board to make a decision, but the MPO, which is made up of elected officials, will make the decision. If the decision is not made by tomorrow, then it will not be possible to get the New Starts application ready by August and another year is lost. Commissioner Jacobs made reference to page 14 and said that one of the points that the staff is asking the Board to vote on has to do with advancing the third alignment. Page 14 addresses that point, but he asked for an analysis of proceeding now with the detailed report for a third alignment for 15-501 and a point that was made by a member of the public that Triangle Transit did not follow federal standards. Wib Gulley said that the suggestion that Triangle Transit has not followed the FTA's process is factually wrong. It is based on a misreading or a partial reading of the federal regulations. Patrick McDonough said that within the 15-501 corridor itself, there is more growth projected than on NC 54. Commissioner Jacobs asked if there was anything to preclude the County Commissioners from an additional study of 15-501 subsequent to this. Patrick McDonough agreed. He asked if Durham, Chapel Hill, and Carrboro had already made decisions about this and Patrick McDonough said yes. A motion was made by Commissioner Hemminger, seconded by Commissioner Foushee to allow Commissioner Gordon to proceed and vote for decision points 4, 5 and 6 on the revised copy of decision points. 4. Proceed with Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA) study area known as Durham- Orange Corridor Alternate 4 from endpoints UNC to Alston Avenue (17.4 miles -$1.4 billion). NOTE: If FTA review suggests a shorter segment, the BOCC reserves the right to reanalyze its decision. 5. Proceed with LPA alignment and station suggestions of: a. UNC(D) which could allow potential future extension to the west to Carrboro