Agenda - 04-09-2013 - 5a - Laserfiche WebLink

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8 1 Craig Benedict said that is the current thought. He said they have thought about the 2 Tanger Parking lot as a park and ride, as well as the Mebane Walmart if that does not work out. 3 He said the route along 70 to Efland will likely use the North Hillsborough shopping center along 4 70, and Triangle Transit thinks the route should go down 85 into Durham. He said there is 5 debate that staying on 70 would be just as fast, and this will be tested. 6 Town Commissioner Lowen said he would love to see improvements along Hwy 70 and 7 he said that, thinking about folks north of town coming to Hillsborough, a park and ride would 8 alleviate a lot of traffic from coming through town. He said that the area being used for parking 9 now is not an ideal location and the proposed new park and ride brings opportunities for growth 10 and development along that corridor. 11 Craig Benedict said that is an important hub. 12 Commissioner Gordon underscored that it is going to be very important for the 13 representatives from the various Orange County jurisdictions to work together because there is 14 a competition for the funds outside of the rail funds. She said that 70-75% of the funding is 15 designated for light rail, which leaves the remaining balances to cover all of the bus service. 16 She said this makes it very important that the 25% is put toward bus service and that something 17 doesn't get delayed. She said that Triangle Transit has a ten member board and Chapel Hill 18 and Orange County comprise only two of that number. She said the representation from 19 Orange County on the MPO is four out of nine members. She said that this makes it very 20 important that a common message from Orange County representatives be presented to both of 21 those boards rather than competing messages and efforts. 22 Town Commissioner Hallman asked if there was any discussion about Mebane and 23 Alamance providing some funds. 24 Craig Benedict said there are two agencies in Mebane and Alamance County, Piedmont 25 Area Rapid Transit (PART) has a route dropping off people in Graham and going down 54. He 26 said there are conversations ongoing with PART about providing funding as that route will likely 27 not be needed if an east/west route is established. He also mentioned Alamance County 28 Transit Authority (ACTA) and Mebane provide funding to them, so it is possible to gain some 29 funding from Mebane. 30 Chair Jacobs said he has the same concerns that other Commissioners have about 31 getting regular updates from Triangle Transit and it seems that the board's concerns and input 32 are not being received. He said that the county and the towns have gone out on a limb to make 33 this possible and the sooner that staff can give the elected officials a heads up about items that 34 may not be part of what they voted on from Triangle Transit, the better for everyone. He gave 35 the example of the push for the route to follow 85, thus increasing traffic coming through town to 36 access the bus. He asked the staff to keep the elected officials apprised and to notify them if 37 there is need to write a joint letter. 38 Commissioner Pelissier said she is the Orange County representative on the Triangle 39 Transit Authority and Triangle Transit has met with auditors to work up a report on how much 40 money has come in and how much has been distributed. She said there are efforts to keep the 41 funding separate between Orange County and Durham County and that shared route costs are 42 shared 50/50. She said she has asked that the draft reports are provided to Orange County so 43 that they can make comments. She said the train plan cannot be taken off the whole plan 44 unless all three entities sign off on it. She said that if federal and state funding does not come 45 through, the funding for that project will remain until matching funds are acquired. She said she 46 met with Triangle Transit staff earlier this week about the implementation of the plan about the 47 bus routes, and her understanding is that the rural bus routes are ones that should come before 48 the Board for approval. 49 Craig Benedict said that the east-west route has already been approved and it is up to 50 Triangle Transit to let staff know information on the plan and they will inform the 51 Commissioners. He said the only time there would be a decision process necessary would be if