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6 <br />II. TRANSIT PLANNING STEPS LEADING UP TO THIS PLAN <br />Beginning in 2007, a blue-ribbon group of Triangle leaders (the Special Transit Advisory <br />Commission, or STAC) met for over a year and in 2008 unanimously recommended a regional <br />vision for bus and rail investments. One year later, the region's two Metropolitan Planning <br />Organizations (MPOs) fully incorporated the STAC recommendations into their long-range (25 <br />year) transportation plan. <br />In August 2009, Governor Beverly Perdue signed into law the Congestion Relief and <br />Intermodal Transport Fund Act (HB 148), legislation that allows Orange, Durham and Wake <br />counties to generate new revenues for public transportation. These new revenues can <br />include a one-half cent sales tax, if approved by the public through a referendum, as well as <br />an additional $10 in local and regional vehicle registration fees. <br />Over the last 2 years, Triangle Transit staff has worked with municipal, Orange County, MPO <br />and other regional transportation staff to develop a detailed, 25-year plan for new bus and <br />rail investments designed to provide greater transportation options for residents and <br />employers. These investments would positively impact traffic congestion and air quality, and <br />support local land use policies. This plan is the culmination of that collaboration and <br />proposes crucial public investments and services to maintain our quality of life and economic <br />vitality for the next 25 years. <br />Extensive public engagement has occurred over the past year in the development of the bus <br />and rail elements of this plan. In 2010 and 2011Triangle Transit and local transportation staff <br />members from municipalities, counties and MPOs conducted a series of 19 public workshops, <br />at various locations throughout the Triangle, on the process and substance of the plan's <br />development. A total of over 1,100 participants attended the meetings and they provided <br />over 500 comments on the plan. Since that time, the project web site, <br />www.ourtransitfuture.com, was viewed by over 73,000 unique individuals with 2.3 million <br />page hits. The web site houses all of the presentation materials and proposed plan elements. <br />Additionally, the DCHC MPO held five public workshops to receive input on the proposed plan <br />in 2011. The Orange County Board of Commissioners held two public hearings and two public <br />workshops to provide opportunities for the public to ask questions and provide feedback on <br />the proposed plan. <br />There have been dozens of ineetings with citizens, local elected officials, staff and members <br />of the region's MPOs, community stakeholders and business leaders, allowing extensive <br />feedback on the proposed bus and rail elements of the plan. The financial and service <br />elements of this plan are coordinated with the adopted Durham County Bus and Rail <br />Investment Plan. Additionally, this bus and rail investment plan builds on the existing transit <br />5/8/2012 - Page ~ 4 <br />