Agenda - 05-02-2017 - 8-a - Minutes

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23 1 Terry Vance said she is against the LRT project. She said it is important to look at this 2 project realistically. She said the costs have skyrocketed, and the project will serve very few. 3 She said the debt will not be paid off until 2062, and the average cost overruns on light rail 4 worldwide are 45%. She said it is unrealistic to think that affordable housing will increase near 5 LRT stations, and it is unrealistic to think that there can be LRT and BRT. She said the LRT will 6 take all the available funds for transportation. She said there are so many environmentally 7 sound ways to have bus transit: solar, electric, etc. 8 Diane Robertson said she is against light rail. She highlighted several examples where 9 cost estimates were higher than expected. 10 Maria Palmer said she is in support of light rail. She said leadership involves risks, and 11 LRT is worth the risk. 12 Joe Phelps said he is against this light rail plan. He said this area has limited growth, 13 due to water availability. He suggested that job security may be one of GoTriangle's motivating 14 factors. 15 Sam Gharbo said he is against light rail. He reviewed the significant costs of the 16 projects for each citizen of Orange County, and said the County is simply not growing at a 17 significant rate. He said Orange County growth is far behind Durham, and significantly behind 18 Wake County. He said to proceed with the LRT would be stupid, and the County knows better. 19 Ramona McGee said she is speaking as a citizen, and she is for the light rail. She has 20 used transit, and she wants more transit. She said the greatest concern seems to be the cost 21 of the LRT, but she said these plans include a 30% contingency to address cost overruns. She 22 said bus service will be freed up by the LRT. She said GoTriangle has completed a mitigation 23 risk appendix, which highlights various ways to continue to mitigate risks. 24 Kim Hunter said she is for light rail. She said she represents the Southern 25 Environmental Law Center, where she works on transportation projects throughout the State. 26 She said their primary aim in supporting this project is about land use. She said the LRT will 27 not put an end to congestion, but it is essential in guiding land use, and how the region grows. 28 She said guiding land use provides benefits to greenhouse gas emissions, to air quality, to 29 water quality, etc. 30 Tana Hartman Thorn is a resident of rural Orange County, and an outspoken 31 progressive. She encouraged the BOCC to behave wisely and conservatively on this project. 32 She asked the Board if it is comfortable bequeathing the LRT costs to their grandchildren in this 33 economy. She said, if not, then the Board should vote against this. 34 Charles Humble read the following comments: 35 Commissioners, 36 The hour is late; I will be brief. We have heard many descriptions of the escalating costs and 37 minimal benefits for Orange County residents from the proposed Light Rail line. 38 39 We have heard how escalating costs have reduced funding for the N-S Bus Rapid Transit 40 system that promised to serve areas of rapid growth in Chapel Hill. We have heard how those 41 costs threaten funding of other modes that serve communities elsewhere in Orange County with 42 far fewer transportation options and higher levels of need. And as for affordable housing: that 43 problem will be increased along the Rail line, not decreased. 44 45 In 2012 we voted for a flexible — if vaguely defined —transit plan that could address needs 46 throughout the county and be fully funded through the transportation tax and related fees. 47 doubt even proponents voted to tie our collective hands for 45 years as technologies and 48 options change all around us. Yet that is what they want you to do in the next 2 weeks —vote to 49 limit the options for our residents for the next 45 years. 50