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9. Items far Decision--Regular Agenda a. Proposed Public Route between Hillsborough and Chapel HiIIlCarrboro The Board considered a request to approve a proposal to be presented to the Triangle Transit Authority (TTA) Operations and Finance Committee (and later to the full TTA Board) to establish a regular public route providing bus service between Hillsborough and Chapel Hill/Carrboro. Orange Public Transportation (OPT) would provide matching funds and operate the route under authority of a Memorandum of Understanding or contract with TTA. Transportation and Department on Aging Director Jerry Passmore said that Patrick McDonough was in attendance from TTA. Transportation Manager AI Terry was also in attendance. He said that this is an exciting opportunity for a partnership with TTA. He said that today the Transportation Services Board approved this proposal. The proposal will move forward to the Operations and Finance Committee of TTA. Commissioner Gordan {Orange County's representative on the TTA Board of Trustees) said that the Hillsborough to Durham route was canceled not long ago by TTA, but in the process she requested that TTA would work with Orange County to figure out an appropriate service. She appreciates what the staff has done. She would like to see the development of an east-west route from the MebanelEfland area all the way to Durham at some later date. Jerry Passmore said that the intent is to have locations such as the Sportsplex and downtown as transfer points. Commissioner Jacobs asked about the projected increase in riders. Patrick McDonough said that it is harder to forecast in rural areas. He said that they conducted a survey of Orange County employees on public transportation. One of the biggest issues for not using OPT was because it is slow. There are 33 daily riders. They hope that this service will open up new capacities. Commissioner Jacobs asked about the time to go from downtown Hillsborough to Southern Human Services Center and it was answered 35 minutes from NC 86/70 to UNC Hospitals. Commissioner Jacobs said that when the community college is opened, there would be a significant increase in demand for this route. He made reference to the two options and said that if this route ends before the community college opens, the route may be doomed by trying too early. He asked if TTA would be looking at this. Patrick McDonough spoke at length about service standards and how routes are improved. He said that having a demonstration route would not mean that it would be canceled in a year. They will continue to look at this service to see how it is doing. He said that the key difference with the demonstration route is that there is a message up front that this project could be short term. The only reason they put this route as a demonstration is because funding for TTA is tight. He thinks this route will be very successful. Commissioner Jacobs said that he does not want to do the demonstration route, or even a one-year project and have it wind up being like the route that went to Duke Hospital. He said that when the community college opens, it would have a large likelihood of success. Commissioner Gordon said that the key is to get it going and that by the time the community college opened it would be in place. This service would start in August and the community college would be opened a year later. She recommends asking for the regular service and letting it go through the Operations and Finance Committee at TTA and see what happens. If it looks like the route could make it without the community college, then it could start in August 2005. It could always be an option to wait for one year. Patrick McDonough said that this route was designed to be successful without the idea of the community college. They look at the community college as a bonus.