TITLE: Title
Request to Consider Authorizing the Town Manager to Negotiate and Enter into an Agreement with Chapel Hill Transit Regarding Bus Shelter Maintenance, Repair and Replacement
PURPOSE: The purpose of this item is for the Board of Aldermen to consider authorizing the Manager to negotiate and enter into an agreement with Chapel Hill Transit (CHT) regarding the maintenance, repair and eventual replacement of Carrboro’s existing wooden bus shelters.
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DEPARTMENT: Manager’s Office
CONTACT INFORMATION: Anne-Marie Vanaman, Management Assistant, 919-918-7321, amvanaman@townofcarrboro.org <mailto:amvanaman@townofcarrboro.org>
INFORMATION: The Town of Carrboro has 27 bus shelters, 21 are made of wood and 6 are CHT standard shelters of pre-fabricated metal, plastic and tempered glass. Many of the wooden shelters are approximately 30 years old and are expensive to maintain or replace. Town staff has determined all of the wooden shelters are in varying states of disrepair, including three which need immediate replacement.
As a partner in the Chapel Hill Transit system, the Town contributes 11% ($1.8 M) toward its budget. Through this operating budget, CHT funds and conducts the maintenance, repair and replacement of standard shelters in Chapel Hill, Carrboro and the University. However, CHT does not support non-standard shelters, such as the wooden shelters in Carrboro and others on the University and hospital campus. Carrboro and the University pay for and conduct the upkeep of non-standard shelters.
Staff has had preliminary conversations with CHT about integrating and streamlining maintenance, repair and replacement efforts, creating a consistent shelter environment for riders and achieving greater parity in the resources available to Carrboro in shelter maintenance.
FISCAL & STAFF IMPACT: Outstanding repairs on existing wooden shelters are estimated to cost $66,000. Replacing an entire wooden shelter is estimated to cost $10,000-12,000 each, and at least three shelters need immediate replacement.
In contrast, CHT spends $30,000-40,000 annually maintaining approximately 120 shelters in the CHT system, and new standard shelters cost between $3,000-12,000 each. CHT funds new or replacement shelters through grants or other agreements.
CHT has expressed a willingness to work with the Town to identify funding for new shelters and to develop a cost-effective plan for the maintenance and repair of Carrboro’s existing wooden shelters, as well as their eventual replacement with standard shelters. Photos of an existing wooden shelter and standard shelter are included as Attachment B.
RECOMMENDATION:r Staff recommends the Board consider authorizing the Town Manager to negotiate and enter into an agreement with Chapel Hill Transit regarding the maintenance, repair and eventual replacement of the Town’s existing 21 wooden bus shelters. A resolution for approval is provided in Attachment A.