Orange County NC Website
Browse       Search
REGIONAL <br />~'RANSPORTATION <br />STRATEGY <br />For the Research <br />Triangle Region. o f North Coralina <br />'O~TN C, <br />10T y <br />(~~~ ~' V <br />.~-. <br />'Gas"~er~ :~,.( <br />l~ <br />•t~ <br />Mayor <br />Glen D. Lang <br />Town of Cary <br />PO Box 8005 <br />Cary, NC 27512-8005 <br />919-469-4011 <br />ire <br />(~ ~ ~\ <br />.m <br />~~ a~ <br />~,,, ~,~. <br />'y CA1ti <br />Mayor <br />Rosemary I. Waldorf <br />Town of Chapel Will <br />306 N Columbia 5t <br />Chapel Hill, NC 27516-2743 <br />919-968-2714 <br />o~~pF OU~v <br />~ n. <br />d •~ ~ D <br />4ya ~ !4 <br />a~'Ply ~ ~ od~o° <br />dnd <br />Mayor <br />Nicholas J.Tennyson <br />City of purham <br />I O I City' Hall Plaza <br />Durham, NC 27701-3328 <br />919-560-4333' <br />Mayor <br />Pauly. Coble <br />City of Raleigh <br />PO Box 590 <br />Raleigh. NC 27b02-0590 <br /> <br />10 <br />We have a duty. As mayors, we serve on the federally required Metropolitan Planning <br />Organizations in our region. Thus we are keenly aware of many needed transportation <br />improvements that are deferred, or not considered, because we cannot program roads, bike~~•a}•s <br />or transit projects if they have no funding. We have a duty to share this information, and its <br />implications, with our fellow citizens. <br />This report shares our disturbing insight into the depth of the transportation challenges «•e <br />face. Thanks to the fundraising efforts of the Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce, major <br />support from Cisco Systems, Glaxo5mithKline, I$lbi, Nortel Networks, Research Triangle <br />Foundation and many other donors (a complete list appears on page 8}, we commissioned this <br />comprehensive~look at regional transportation needs. This report rests on publicly adopted <br />plans and the professional judgment of out region's transportation planners. , <br />These pages present a stark message. With current funding, we can program almost $8 billion <br />in improvements by 2025. Even with that large investment, we can expect longer peak <br />congestion periods, longer and less predict:~ble trar•el times, and worsening air quality. Our __. <br />stud}• identifies another $10 billion in unmet needs, if we desire an acceptable level of mobiliit_ <br />over the next 25 years. It suggests a "multi-modal" approach, including highway, transit, <br />bikeway and pedestrian improvements. <br />Who is responsible? We all are. Federal government is clearly responsible For supporting roads <br />that Garry interstate commerce and travel, and for paying half of the major transit investments <br />the Triangle needs. To sustain the Research Triangle Park, Ne~rth Carcylina's premier economic <br />engine and a generator of substantial public revenue, state government must increase <br />transportation funding. Our local economies, through local government, must provide additional, <br />focused investment by our communities to ensure livability. Finally, we suggest an expanded <br />role for the private sector as an investor in transportation systems. <br />What is at stake? Air quality, and the health of cur citizens. Mohiliry, the freedom to get from <br />place to place in a reasonable rime. The regional economic prosperity that has enahled continuing <br />job opportunities and good public education. And our quality of life, the sum of all these <br />things. This is no easy challenge. No one gets a "pass". The four of us ask this of our fellow <br />Triangle residents: Pause to understand the scope of this problcnt, and work with your eluted <br />officials to fashion the serious responses necessary. We Ai.l. have that duty. <br />We thank }•ou for reading this report. We look forward to working with citizens, the Governor, <br />members of the N.C. General Assembly, our fellow local elected officials, NCDOT, and Triangle <br />business leaders to fund and build a safe and GFficient transportation s}•strm for our region. <br /> <br />