Orange County NC Website
Browse       Search
10 <br /> BACKGROUND <br /> The Orange County transit program is guided by a regional governance framework established following <br /> voter approval of the Orange County transit sales tax in 2012. That same year, the governing boards of <br /> GoTriangle, the Triangle West Transportation Planning Organization (TWTPO), and Orange County <br /> adopted the first Bus and Rail Investment Plan. In 2013, the three parties entered into an Interlocal <br /> Agreement (ILA) to guide the use of transit tax revenues and the development of an expanded regional <br /> transit network. <br /> The Interlocal Agreement (ILA) was updated in 2023 to strengthen coordination, transparency, and <br /> accountability in transit planning and implementation. As part of this update, the Staff Working Group <br /> (SWG) was expanded to include representatives from Chapel Hill, Carrboro, Hillsborough, and Mebane, <br /> ensuring broader regional participation. The SWG serves as the administrative and advisory body <br /> responsible for developing a recommended Annual Work Program (AWP) for consideration by the <br /> governing boards. <br /> Also in 2023, a Comprehensive Participation Agreement (CPA) was approved by all project sponsors to <br /> further define participation and implementation roles. Together, the ILA and CPA establish requirements <br /> for project planning, reporting, and oversight, including the use of multi-year agreements and regular <br /> project updates to support transparency and accountability. Together, the ILA and CPA define the <br /> governance framework and implementation roles for the transit program, including coordination <br /> responsibilities of the Staff Working Group (SWG). <br /> Orange County serves as the SWG Administrator, overseeing coordination, reporting, and accountability. <br /> The Annual Work Program, which includes operating and capital funding recommendations and <br /> associated financial assumptions, must be adopted by both the Orange County Board of Commissioners <br /> and the GoTriangle Board of Trustees. The FY27 Annual Work Program operates within the framework of <br /> the adopted Orange County Transit Plan. <br /> 7 <br />