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Informational Report on the Orange County Short Range Transit Plan
PURPOSE: The Orange County Transportation Services Department has engaged consultant services to prepare a Short Range Transit Plan. The purpose of this item is to provide the Town Council with an update on the process and an opportunity to review the draft plan. The County is anticipated to adopt the plan in October 2024.
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Department
DEPARTMENT: Planning
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Contact
CONTACT INFORMATION: Christina Moon, Planning and Transportation Administrator, 919-918-7325, cmoon@carrboronc.gov; Nishith Trivedi, Orange County Transportation Services Director, 919-245-2007, ntrivedi@orangecountync.gov
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Council Direction
COUNCIL DIRECTION:
__X_ Race/Equity __X__ Climate __X__ Comprehensive Plan ____Other
Council Direction Statement
The expansion of public transit services to Carrboro and its environs is a key component in the success of the Town’s race and equity and climate action goals.
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Information
INFORMATION: In October 2023, Orange County engaged Nelson Nygaard to lead the development of a short range transit plan for the County’s public transit services (OPT). The plan is designed to serve as a comprehensive analysis of the County’s public transit services-capital and operating, with an assessment of financial resources to determine the plan for the next five years of improvements. Copies of the existing condition report and draft plan are provided (Attachment A & B.).
Nelson Nygaard in coordination with Orange County Transportation Services conducted the initial round of public engagement workshops in March and will be offering a second round of engagement from late August to early September. The public comment period is scheduled to remain open until mid-September; English- and Spanish-language copies of a survey are provided (Attachment C & D).
For additional information relating to transit services that the County provides, please see the County’s website at the following link: https://www.orangecountync.gov/1532/Fixed-Routes.
OPT’s fixed-route and on-call services, and this Short-Range Transit Plan, focus on the unincorporated portions of the County. With a Core Technical Team made up of other Orange County government representatives and regional transit partners, this planning effort is also evaluating the overall transit network in support of a goal to develop a seamless comprehensive system that provides efficient and cost-effective transit service countywide.
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Fiscal and Staff Impact
FISCAL IMPACT: There are no direct fiscal or staff impact associated with receiving the update.
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Recommendation
RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends that the Town Council receive the update.
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