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A Fresh Look at Transit
Local
option funding will be a critical component of our area's future
ability to advance a new regional transit system in the Triangle.
On August 10, 2009 the NC Legislature approved House Bill 148, the Intermodal / transit local options bill,
with significant bipartisan support. This means that the
Triangle region now has several additional tools in our mobility
funding toolbox to make critical transit investments.
Each new revenue option...
-- County local option sales tax,
-- County local option vehicle registration fee, and
-- Regional option vehicle registration fee increment
...will
enable our area to make additional investments in our mobility
future. In addition, the Research Triangle Park also
received an additional transit investment funding option. To
learn the funding opportunities associated with the bill, click here (see top of pages 3 and 4).
Each
of these options would only be enacted when the community or region is
ready to expand transit service offerings. To view the
results of the March 2009 RTA Transit Poll, click here. To view the current draft vision for transit, click here. To view an overview of the ongoing commuter rail study for our region, click here.
To view the overall sequnce of steps to advance transit in our region, click here.
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In winter 2008, the Alliance endorsed a legislative
and policy agenda
that includes support for transportation local option to
enable funding for transit. In February 2009 a
bipartisan
group of legislators introduced draft legislation that would provide
for a
local option for transit (H148, S151) and also create a state funding
framework. The legislature gave final approval of H148 in August 2009.
The
Alliance is pleased with the passage of 2009 local option intermodal legislation, which gives
our region several new tools in our mobility toolbox to fund transit --
if and when the county or region is ready. The
legislation
seeks to balance local control and flexibility
within a
regional framework -- these elements are crucial for the passage of
legislation, the future approval of referendum, and the
eventual
operational success of a regional transit program. In addition,
the county local option sales taxes require voter approval.
The
Alliance released its recommended principles for future transit
plans
to our region's two metropolitan planning organizations for
transportation (MPOs) in early 2009. These principles include:
- »
Support the
multimodal transit vision of the Special Transit Advisory
Commission (STAC) which includes buses first, then
circulators and rail
- »
Support
the staged implementation of light rail transit
throughout
the entire 56 mile Special Transit Advisory Commission
(STAC)-recommended corridor (Chapel Hill to North Raleigh), pending the
approval of a detailed implementation plan
- »
Compare and
evaluate both commuter and light rail operation for the
STAC corridor
as well as other rail corridors under consideration by the MPOs and
prioritize all potential rail investments
- » Encourage
inclusion in the regional plan of fast-growing nearby counties
–
especially Johnston which is already the third most populous county in
the Triangle area
- » Consider advance investments in
trackage, station, and bus connection elements in order to
convey a
sense of permanence and accelerate transit-oriented development
(TOD)
The
region's two MPOs approved updated long-range plans in 2009. The transit plans call for greatly expanded
bus
service improvements complemented by more than 50 miles of new light
rail transit over the next few decades.
In spring 2008, the Alliance also announced
its support for the recommendations of the Special Transit Advisory
Commission (STAC).
We highlighted our commitment to a
transit future with buses first, then circulators and rail, paid for by
a 1/2c sales tax, and with a careful examination of governance.
We also recognize that detailed studies need to be finalized
to
identify specific subregional options to consider in each county that
interface well with each other. Click here
to see who served on the Special
Transit Advisory Commission.
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