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ORANGE ORANGE COUNTY GOVERNMENT <br /> ORANGE TRANSPORTATION SERVICES DEPARTMENT <br /> N0Wr CAROLINA OrangeCounty <br /> i <br /> URLIC TRANSIT <br /> Item 5.a. <br /> Subject: Orange County Public Transit Service Area <br /> Attachment: Transit Service Area Map <br /> PURPOSE: To approve the Orange County public transit service area for federal compliance. <br /> BACKGROUND: <br /> On September 21, 1982, the BOCC approved the creation of the Coordinated Agency <br /> Transportation (CAT) as the County's public transit service, within the Department on Aging, <br /> focusing primarily on medical trips (link). This was established through the revision of the <br /> County's 1981-1985 Transportation Development Plan, and funded through the Urban Mass <br /> Transportation Act of 1964 (UMTA 16(b)(2)). The initial service area was far north as Prospect <br /> Hill. This is a township located north of Hillsborough at NC 86 and NC 49. It also included <br /> Hillsborough, Chapel Hill and Cedar Grove area. <br /> On January 22, 1991, the BOCC approved a new CAT Express Shuttle and County transit services <br /> were extended to Carrboro, through the 1991-1994 Transportation Development Plan (link). On <br /> February 6, 1995, the BOCC approved the name change from CAT to Orange Public <br /> Transportation (link). Subsequent updates to the County's Transportation Development Plan - <br /> now called Short Range Transit Plan (SRTP)-have expanded Orange County public transit services <br /> to encompass the entire Orange County for all their residents and businesses. <br /> The 2017 Transit Plan and its most recent update in 2022 (link) introduced increased services to <br /> and from rural parts of Orange County through Demand Response and Mobility-on-Demand. As <br /> these services are the County's predominate public transit use, staff requests the service area be <br /> defined as ten (10) miles outside Orange County (Attachment 1). <br /> On December 15, 2023, Orange County Public Transit became Direct Recipients of Federal Transit <br /> Administration 5307 grant. Orange County's transit service area delineation is necessary for <br /> compliance as it is specific to demand response services like ModiveCare and Department of <br /> Social Services clients as well as improve coordination with adjacent County transit agencies. <br /> This will provide Orange County residents access to Duke medical facilities in Durham, including <br /> the VA. It will also provide job access to Chatham Park, Tanger Outlet Mall, health care like Cone <br /> Health, and other important resources to and from neighboring Counties. County must approve <br /> changes to the public transit service area so that it can be incorporated into the Short Range <br /> Transit Plan update. <br /> FINANCIAL IMPACT: There is no financial impact to the County. <br /> SOCIAL JUSTICE IMPACT: The following Orange County Social Justice Goals are applicable to this <br /> item: <br /> 600 Hwy 86 N - Hillsborough, North Carolina 27278 <br /> Phone (919)245-2008 - Fax (919) 732-2137 <br /> orangecountync.gov/transportation <br />