A RESOLUTION SUPPORTING AN AMTRAK STOP IN HILLSBOROUGH , NC (2007-11-19/R-9)

WHEREAS, Orange County currently has four Amtrak passenger trains passing through Hillsborough each day, with none of those trains stopping to pick up or drop off passengers; and

WHEREAS, Orange County municipal governments have made significant commitments to non-automobile transportation above and beyond other North Carolina cities, towns and counties by supporting fare-free public transportation, sidewalk construction bonds, greenways and bike facilities; and

WHEREAS, Orange County residents receive the inconveniences of this train service such as noise and intermittently stopped traffic at grade crossing, while receiving none of the numerous benefits; and

WHEREAS, over 300 Hillsborough and Orange County citizens have recently signed a petition in support of putting a rail station in Hillsborough, from which they would like to travel to New York, Washington, DC, Charlotte, Greensboro and other destinations; and

WHEREAS, Amtrak and the State of North Carolina are making continuous improvements on this line that make it faster, more reliable and even more cost competitive with car travel, with the intention of increasing ridership; and

WHEREAS, Hillsborough has just received a designation as a Cool City for its commitment to reducing greenhouse gas production; and

WHEREAS, Orange County, the Town of Chapel Hill and Carrboro, and UNC-Chapel Hill have committed to a 60% reduction in carbon emissions which are largely automobile exhaust-related locally and train travel can help reduce automobile travel; and

WHEREAS, the President of the United States recently announced a national goal to cut U.S. gasoline consumption by 20 percent over the next ten years;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill that the Council strongly urges Governor Easley, NCDOT, and Amtrak to:

• Establish an un-staffed temporary rail stop in Hillsborough to be served by all passenger trains passing through Hillsborough by September 2009
• Support the designation of a site for a permanent train station in Hillsborough that could be served by intercity passenger rail trains and any potential commuter or regional rail services that may develop in the Triangle in the future
• Identify and reserve state funds to move both of these project forward, assuming matching local public and/or private contributions are identified

This the 19^th day of November, 2007.