AGENDA #11a
to: Roger L. Stancil, Town Manager
from: J.B. Culpepper, Planning Director
David Bonk, Long Range and Transportation Planning Manager
subject: Final Report of the Special Transit Advisory Commission (STAC)
date: June 25, 2008
This report reviews the recommendations of the Final Report of the Special Transit Advisory Commission. (STAC).
The Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Transportation Advisory Committee released the Final Report of the Special Transit Advisory Commission for public comment on May 21, 2008.
On June 9, 2008, the staff presented the Council with an overview of the Final Report of the Special Transit Advisory Commission. The Council referred the recommendations of the Report to the Planning Board and Transportation Board for comment.
The Special Transit Advisory Commission report identifies three major categories of potential transit investments. These include:
Enhanced Region-wide Bus Network: The Plan includes extensions of bus services throughout the region to expand existing transit service and extend bus service to outlying communities. (Attachment 1). The proposed bus network would provide additional service between Chapel Hill and Durham and the Research Triangle Park. The proposed network would also extend bus service from Chapel Hill to Pittsboro, Hillsborough, Burlington, Graham and southern Alamance County.
Staff Comment: We believe that enhancing local transit services is an important component of the Committee’s recommendations. The expansion of regional transit services will support the implementation of rail investments and the development of circulators. These circulators are intended to provide frequent service for short trips within a compact area. The expanded regional service will also accommodate increased travel demand from outlying counties such as Chatham and Alamance. We suggest that the implementation of these additional regional services should be closely coordinated with Chapel Hill Transit. Although many of these additional services might be provided by Triangle Transit, some of these proposed routes may be more efficiently provided by Chapel Hill Transit. We suggest that local service providers that operate these regional routes should receive funding from regional sources.
Rail Investments: The Plan proposes the construction of a regional rail network, including the US 15-501 fixed guideway corridor between Chapel Hill and Durham. (Attachment 2) The proposed rail system also includes the provision of rail service between Durham, the Research Triangle Park, the Town of Cary and City of Raleigh. The proposed rail line would extend north of the Raleigh downtown to Durant Road.
Staff Comment: The Special Transit Advisory Commission evaluated 16 separate corridors for possible implementation of rail or similar transit technologies. The corridors were evaluated using several factors, which are summarized in the attached table. (Attachment 3) This table is included in the final Plan, Appendix C, page A-9 and provides a useful comparison of a preliminary assessment of each corridor, comparing various land use factors. The US 15-501 corridor was rated among the top projects.
The Plan recommends light rail (LRT), for the Chapel Hill to Durham segment, which can take advantage of the grade separation along the proposed new alignment. The implementation of a final transit technology will require additional environmental study and a more detailed analysis of the costs and benefits of various technologies, including light rail and bus rapid transit (BRT).
Although the complete proposed rail corridor extends from Chapel Hill to Raleigh, the designation of different rail technologies would require a transfer in Durham for a Chapel Hill rider traveling to Raleigh. While the Plan does recommend the same rail technology, diesel multiple unit (DMU), between Durham and Raleigh, the Committee discussed the implementation of the entire proposed rail corridor in three possible segments. These segments included the Durham to Chapel Hill fixed guideway corridor, a connection between Durham and Cary and the implementation of the rail corridor between Cary and Durant Road in Raleigh.
Circulators: The composite Regional Vision Plan (Attachment 4) includes the designation of transit circulator or connector districts. Transit services within the designated districts are anticipated to include high frequency transit connections intended to serve short trips of 1 mile or less. The designated districts include Chapel Hill, Durham, Cary, Raleigh and the Research Triangle Park.
Staff Comment: The development of a robust circulator system will be important to support the fixed guideway network proposed as part of the Plan. The Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro 2035 Long Range Transportation Plan is anticipated to analyze several alternative transit networks, including the expanded transit service developed as part of the Chapel Hill Long Range Transit Plan. We will continue to incorporate elements of the Chapel Hill Long Range Transit Plan as part of a circulator system serving Chapel Hill, Carrboro and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
The Special Transit Advisory Commission Plan also identifies three implementation measures, including funding, land use and governance.
Funding: The Plan proposes additional state and local funding, including increasing the sales tax by ½ cent and the existing vehicle registration fee by $10. The Plan concludes that combined with existing local, state and federal funding, and debt financing of approximately $600 million, the financial models show these revenue sources are adequate to implement the Regional Transit Vision Plan.
Staff Comment: We believe that new revenue will be needed to implement the proposed Plan but that a portion of the revenue should be provided to support local transit services. We also believe that the financial plans that will guide the expenditure of the new revenues should be reviewed and approved by the Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro and Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organizations to ensure coordination with the regional long range transportation plans.
Chapel Hill currently has a request before the Legislature to increase the vehicle registration fee in Chapel Hill by $10 to support local transit services. If the requested increase is granted the Chapel Hill fee would be $40, which is the maximum allowed under current state legislation. If order to implement the $10 fee proposed by the Special Transit Advisory Committee Plan the $40 cap would need to be modified by the North Carolina Legislature.
Land Use: The Plan states that in order to realize the full benefits of the recommended transit investments, local governments and the development community should ensure that development patterns are coordinated with the transit investments. The Plan proposes that investments in expanded transit services should be paired with transit supportive land use policies and these policies should be applied consistently.
Staff Comment: We agree that transit supportive land use policies should be coordinated with the implementation of expanded transit services.
Governance: The Plan establishes the link between the interests of local governments and the viability of regional transit systems in the planning, funding and implementation of transit investments. The Plan recommends continued cooperation between the Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro and Greater Raleigh Metropolitan Planning Organizations and proposes establishing a regional staff working group to oversee the implementation of the Plan.
Staff Comment: We agree that continued regional cooperation will be important to ensure the full implementation of the Special Transit Advisory Commission.
Planning Board Recommendation: At their June 3, 2008 meeting the Planning Board agreed unanimously to support the recommendations of the Special Transit Advisory Commission final report. (Attachment 5)
Transportation Board Recommendation: The Transportation Board was unable to meet as scheduled to review the report.
Staff Recommendation: We recommend the Council adopt the attached resolution providing the Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Transportation Advisory Commission with the following recommendations