AGENDA
#14a(2)
TO: Town
Council Members
FROM: Mayor
Waldorf
SUBJECT: Resolution Urging
the N.C. House Not to Redirect N.C. Railroad Funds into the General Fund Budget
for 2001-2002
DATE: June 11, 2001
The North Carolina Senate version of the 2001-2002 budget calls for redirecting approximately $19 million from current and projected revenue of the N.C. Railroad. The N.C. Railroad has adopted a plan to use $7 million of these funds to replace an existing substandard railroad bridge across NC Highway 54 near Miami Boulevard in Research Triangle Park.
Replacing this bridge is an important first step toward widening N.C.
54 between Davis Drive and Miami Boulevard, which is necessary to enable the
Triangle Transit Authority to locate its regional bus transfer facility and
ultimately regional rail station at the South Park Station site. It is also necessary to expedite a mixed-use
development on the 25 acres adjacent to the South Park Station. This development will include the first
housing in Research Triangle Park. The
development project is a major public/private collaboration intended to help
address transportation problems by enhancing transit access to RTP, placing
housing in RTP, and placing uses in a manner to encourage people to use
transit.
I ask that the
Council adopt the attached resolution, urging the N.C. House not to redirect
the funds into the General Fund budget for 2001-2002. I believe that this would be a constructive way of helping to
develop housing in Research Triangle Park.
I understand that
time is critical on this issue. The
House Appropriations Committee will discuss the N.C. Railroad funding item in
detail and has scheduled the next meeting for June 12.
1. Draft Letter from Mayor Waldorf to the N.C. House Appropriations Committee (p. 3).
2. Letter from James Roberson to Rep. Lorene T. Coates (p. 4).
3. List of House of Representatives Appropriations Committee Chairs and Local Delegates (p. 6).
A RESOLUTION urging the North Carolina House not to redirect N.C.
Railroad funds into the General Fund budget for
2001-2002 (2001-06-11/R-21)
WHEREAS,
the North Carolina Senate version of the 2001-2002 budget calls for redirecting
approximately $19 million from current and projected revenue of the N.C. Railroad; and
WHEREAS, the
N.C. Railroad has adopted a plan to use $7 million of these funds to replace an
existing substandard railroad bridge across N.C. Highway 54 near Miami
Boulevard in Research Triangle Park;
and
WHEREAS, replacing
this bridge is an important first step toward widening N.C. Highway 54 between
Davis Drive and Miami Boulevard and will affect a 25-acre, mixed-use
development that will include the first housing in Research Triangle Park; and
WHEREAS, the House
Appropriations Committee will discuss the N.C. Railroad funding issue in detail
and has scheduled the next meeting for June 12;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE
IT RESOLVED by the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill that the Council urges
the N.C. House not to redirect N.C. Railroad funds into the General Fund budget
for 2001-2002.
This the 11th
day of June, 2001.
ATTACHMENT #1
June 12, 2001
Representative Joe Hackney
NC House of Representatives
2207 Legislative Building
Raleigh, NC 27601-1096
Dear Representative Hackney:
At its regular meeting on June 11, the Chapel Hill Town
Council adopted the attached resolution, urging
the N.C. House not to redirect N.C. Railroad funds into the General Fund budget
for 2001-2002.
The North Carolina Senate version of the 2001-2002 budget calls for redirecting approximately $19 million from current and projected revenue of the N.C. Railroad. The N.C. Railroad has adopted a plan to use $7 million of these funds to replace an existing substandard railroad bridge across NC Highway 54 near Miami Boulevard in Research Triangle Park.
Replacing this bridge is an important first step toward widening N.C.
54 between Davis Drive and Miami Boulevard, which is necessary to enable the
Triangle Transit Authority to locate its regional bus transfer facility and
ultimately regional rail station at the South Park Station site. It is also necessary to expedite a mixed-use
development on the 25 acres adjacent to the South Park Station. This development will include the first
housing in Research Triangle Park. The
development project is a major public/private collaboration intended to help
address transportation problems by enhancing transit access to RTP, placing
housing in RTP, and placing uses in a manner to encourage people to use
transit.
On behalf of the
Chapel Hill Town Council, I thank you for considering our interests.
Sincerely,
Rosemary I.
Waldorf
Mayor
RIW/wms
Cc:
S. Ellis Hankins, NC League of Municipalities
ATTACHMENT #2
June 7, 2001
The Honorable Lorene T. Coates
House of Representatives
Room 633, Legislative Office Building
Raleigh, NC 27601-1096
Dear Mr. Coates:
On behalf of the Research Triangle Foundation, I am writing to ask your help on a matter, which seriously affects the Research Triangle Park and the major traffic problems which are being experienced by the public traveling to and through RTP.
The North Carolina Senate version of the budget calls for redirecting approximately $19 million from current and projected revenue of the N.C. Railroad. The N.C. Railroad has adopted a plan to use $7 million of these funds to replace an existing substandard railroad bridge across NC 54 near Miami Boulevard.
As I am sure you are aware, the section of NC 54 between Davis Drive and Miami Boulevard is a narrow, two-lane roadway and its widening is constrained by the N.C. Railroad bridge. This bridge was originally built in the 1920’s and is becoming increasingly unsafe because it has been hit by tractor trailer trucks in recent years. Nortel Networks, which is RTP’s second largest employer with 8500 employees, has its two primary campuses on the north and south sides of this section of NC 54. The existing congestion on this section of NC 54 not only makes it very difficult for existing RTP employees to get to and from work but also is a major impediment to Triangle Transit Authority’s plans for improving regional public transportation.
Over the past year, the Research Triangle Foundation has been working closely with N.C. Railroad, Triangle Transit Authority, NCDOT and a private developer on a project at the southwest corner of NC 54 and the N.C. Railroad right of way. This project will build a regional bus transfer station for TTA’s existing bus system, a future rail station for TTA’s regional rail system and a high intensity, mixed use development which will compliment the transit facilities and which will place the first housing in RTP. This project is a major public/private collaboration intended to help address our transportation problems by enhancing transit access to RTP,1 placing housing in RTP and placing uses in a manner which encourages people to use transit.
While
we recognize that this is a particularly difficult budget year, we are very
concerned that the bridge replacement not be delayed. It is our understanding that the N.C. Railroad is on the verge of
signing a contract with a bridge design firm to begin the survey and
The Honorable Lorene T. Coates
Page 2
June 7, 2001
design of the project and that funds would be needed for construction in the fall of 2002 in order to keep the project on schedule. We ask that the House version of the budget not include any provisions redirecting the N.C. Railroad funds to the General Fund (i.e., that Section 2.2(b) of the Senate budget not be included in the House budget).
We would very much appreciate anything you could do to help in this matter. Please feel free to call me or Liz Rooks on my staff if you have any questions about the proposed project or if there is any other information we could provide for you.
Sincerely,
James
O. Roberson
ATTACHMENT #3
House of Representatives
James Boyce Black
Speaker of the House of Representatives
Room 2304
Legislative Building
Raleigh, NC 27601-1096
Chairs of
Appropriations Committee:
Ruth M. Easterling
Room 631
Legislative Office Building
Raleigh, NC 27601-1096
Warren Claude Oldham
Room 634
Legislative Office Building
Raleigh, NC 27601-1096
Edward David Redwine
Room 635
Legislative Office Building
Raleigh, NC 27601-1096
Gregory James Thompson
Room 1002
Legislative Building
Raleigh, NC 27601-1096
Vice Chairs of
Appropriations:
James Walker Crawford, Jr.
Room 1301
Legislative Building
Raleigh, NC 27601-1096
William Clarence Owens, Jr.
Room 632
Legislative Office Building
Raleigh, NC 27601-1096
Subcommittee on
Transportation Appropriations:
E. Nelson Cole (Chair)
Room 1218
Legislative Building
Raleigh, NC 27601-1096
James Walker Crawford, Jr. ( Chair -also listed above)
Joanne Walker Bowie (Vice Chair)
Room 538
Legislative Office Building
Raleigh, NC 27601-1096
Bobby Harold Barbee, Sr.
Room 1025
Legislative Building
Raleigh, NC 27601-1096
Daniel T. Blue
Room 1227
Legislative Building
Raleigh, NC 27601-1096
Lorene T. Coates
Room 633
Legislative Office Building
Raleigh, NC 27601-1096
Donald Spencer Davis
Room 504
Legislative Office Building
Raleigh, NC 27601-1096
Jerry Charles Dockham
Room 1106
Legislative Building
Raleigh, NC 27601-1096
James Monroe Gulley
Room 1307
Legislative Building
Raleigh, NC 27601-1096
William Seth Hiatt
Room 1008
Raleigh, NC 27601-1096
Mary E. McAllister
Room 638
Legislative Office Building
Raleigh, NC 27601-1096
Drew Paschal Saunders
Room 2217
Legislative Building
Raleigh, NC 27601-1096
Ronnie N. Sutton
Room 1321
Legislative Building
Raleigh, NC 27601-1096
Durham County:
J. Russell Capps
Room 1424
Legislative Building
Raleigh, NC 27601-1096
Paul Luebke
Room 529
Legislative Office Building
Raleigh, NC 27601-1096
H. M. Mickey Michaux, Jr.
Room 1325
Legislative Building
Raleigh, NC 27601-1096
Paul Miller
Room 640
Legislative Office Building
Raleigh, NC 27601-1096
Jennifer Weiss
Room 2221
Legislative Building
Raleigh, NC 27601-1096
Orange County:
Joe Hackney
Room 2207
Legislative Building
Raleigh, NC 27601-1096
Verla C. Insko
Room 2121
Legislative Building
Raleigh, NC 27601-1096
Wake County:
Daniel T. Blue (listed above)
Rick L. Eddens
Room 1319
Legislative Building
Raleigh, NC 27601-1096
J. Samuel Ellis
Room 607
Legislative Office Building
Raleigh, NC 27601-1096
Robert J. Hensley, Jr.
Room 610
Legislative Office Building
Raleigh, NC 27601-1096
David M. Miner
Room 1006
Legislative Building
Raleigh, NC 27601-1096
Art Pope
Room 539
Legislative Office Building
Raleigh, NC 27601-1096