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24 <br /> Nishith Trivedi said there are multiple phases that it would still have to go through. <br /> Chair Bedford said this is for 2045 so there is still a lot to discuss and plan for. <br /> Commissioner Portie-Ascott asked for more information on the information that Southern <br /> Orange County is disproportionately affected by existing transportation and said that it seems this <br /> is mostly people of color that are being affected. <br /> Nishith Trivedi said that Southern Orange County has seven different census block <br /> groups. He said those blocks are analyzed by demographic and socio-economic makeup. He said <br /> that this measures against the county's thresholds. He said that some of the census blocks are <br /> minorities or elderly with no cars. He said there is a need for improvements and service in that <br /> area. He said that there is zero investment in Southern Orange County for transportation. He said <br /> that there are projects in urban areas, but rural Orange County has no benefit but has great needs. <br /> He said that he has a video that he wanted to show that shows a transit driver onto 54 out of <br /> driveways. <br /> Commissioner Fowler asked if bike-ped was included in 2019. <br /> Nishith Trivedi said yes. <br /> Commissioner Fowler said that transportation buses used to take this route but now they <br /> take 1-40. <br /> Nishith Trivedi said that they would come back if the roads were widened but not until <br /> then. He said that is why Alamance is also improving their roadways. <br /> Commissioner Hamilton said that she had not seen this before. She said that it is tough to <br /> follow the alphabet soup with transportation planning. She asked about the big picture of a study <br /> like this. She said that the document has the NC54 Corridor study but does not have the term <br /> multimodal in it and asked if it mattered. <br /> Nishith Trivedi said no. He said the name is not what determines the study. He said that <br /> is determined after being studied. He said that the NC98 study was done and not called a <br /> multimodal study. He said that the study recommended multimodal, but the title does not make <br /> the difference. <br /> Commissioner Hamilton asked if there is a possibility of changing aspects of the findings <br /> or do they have to do exactly what the study is recommending. <br /> Nishith Trivedi said that the study is simply recommending that they divide the road to <br /> address the demand. He said while that is being done, transit improvements can be made. He <br /> said that the details of the recommendations can be shaped and modified throughout the process. <br /> He said that right now it is about getting the project approved so that it can be funded. He said <br /> that NCDOT would continue to have more public meetings and discussions before a project is in <br /> final design stages. He said that there is still an environmental impact analysis that would also <br /> have to be done. <br /> Commissioner Hamilton said that her understanding is that approving the study is saying <br /> they agree with the analysis that there needs to be improvements and increased capacity and <br /> that they agree that the addition of bike-ped is important. She said that the details of how that <br /> happens will be determined in the next steps. <br /> Nishith Trivedi said that is accurate. He said that it can even be broken down into additional <br /> steps. <br /> Commissioner Greene said that while there is mention of park and rides, there is no <br /> mention of shared use paths on either side in the report. She said that this is the first step to a <br /> four-lane highway, and she is having trouble seeing the environmental justice issue because they <br /> are bringing more cars. She said that transportation is the word being used but it seems to mean <br /> "highways." She said that she is signed up for a meeting with the MPO next week and that this <br /> feels it is the cart before the horse. She said that she is happy to accept the report but not ready <br /> to adopt it because she has too many questions and some she cannot even articulate at this point. <br /> Commissioner Fowler said the bike-ped and PART buses returning to the route are two <br /> aspects that seem inviting to her. She said this would increase the ability to use public transport. <br />