TITLE: Title
Presentation of the Chapel Hill Transit Short Range Transit Plan
PURPOSE: The purpose of this agenda item is for the Town Council to receive a presentation of the Short Range Transit Plan (SRTP).
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DEPARTMENT: Town Manager’s Office
CONTACT INFORMATION: Anne-Marie Vanaman, Management Assistant - 919-918-7321; Brian Litchfield, Chapel Hill Transit Director - 919-969-4908
INFORMATION: In September 2017, Chapel Hill Transit engaged the engineering firm Nelson/Nygaard Consulting Associates to develop its Short Range Transit Plan. Representatives from the Town of Carrboro, the Town of Chapel Hill, and UNC-Chapel Hill participated in the Technical and Policy Committees which guided the development of the SRTP and its six guiding principles: improve transit mode shift, increase ridership, create high frequency transit corridors, emphasize equity, improve weekend service, and enhance the convenience of living without a private vehicle. Public input was received in 2017 and 2018 and helped inform the Plan; meetings were held at Carrboro Town Hall on the following dates:
• September 25, 2017
• January 24, 2018
• September 24, 2018
Feedback from Carrboro sessions included requests for service to the future Lloyd Farm development, increased weekend service along West Main Street (helpful for FoodFirst and Club Nova clients) and enhanced service for the Rogers Road area. A summary of the SRTP can be found in Attachment A.
On January 28, 2020, the Short Range Transit Plan was presented to the Transit Partners Committee. Public information sessions about transit changes occurred in January in Chapel Hill and will occur on Monday, February 10th and Wednesday, February 19th in Carrboro.
The Chapel Hill Town Council is anticipated to consider the Plan in late February or March, and to implement a marketing plan to communicate bus route changes that will occur. Implementation of the SRTP is scheduled for August 2020.
FISCAL & STAFF IMPACT: The Short Range Transit Plan is intended to be cost neutral, with no expectation of additional funding from the Transit Partners.
RECOMMENDATION:r Staff recommends the Town Council receive the presentation.