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Staff Working Group

Orange County · OCPT Staff Working Group
Monday, December 16, 2024

Other TransitBudget and appropriationsRoads and transportationParks and recreationPublic facilities

Agenda document Minutes Watch Meeting recap

What's on this agenda

The Orange County transit staff working group met December 16, 2024 to review project sheets against the 2022 Orange County Transit Plan, approve a quarterly work program amendment, and hear GoTriangle's plans for a February service change.

Summarized from the published agenda. Read the agenda itself before acting on it.

Meeting recap

What happened, drawn from the records published after the meeting. Minutes

The group approved sending a quarterly amendment out for public comment: $17,000 to build curb ramps at North Columbus Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard in Chapel Hill, folded into the bus rapid transit alignment. The vote was unanimous, as was approval of the August minutes after a correction of a month reference.

GoTriangle previewed service changes for February 23, 2025, subject to its board's approval on December 22. Route 800 moves to NC 54 full time for better connections between UNC and Research Triangle Park. Route 805 is cut back to Southpoint but gains midday and evening service. A late addition to the agenda covered the regional technology plan, budgeted at $250,000 including $25,000 from the Orange County Transit Plan, aimed at trip planning and real-time information, service planning tools, regional payment and open data, with first recommendations due in spring 2025. On the return to fares, staff reported that 94 percent of fare payments now go through the UMO app or card.

Project sheets took the rest of the meeting. Chapel Hill Transit wants $200,000 for fast charging infrastructure for electric buses. Hillsborough is weighing a greenway trail from the train station to downtown, with the station and its bus stop already funded in the existing plan. GoTriangle proposed consolidating maintenance and bus stop projects into one operating category. Members raised two concerns: that the financial effect of the adjustments on the transit budget has not been modeled, and that the changes must stay consistent with the approved 2017 and 2022 transit plans. Staff will run the models and schedule a separate meeting on the FY26 project sheets. Carrboro reported progress on the Morgan Creek Greenway and the South Greensboro Street sidewalk.

How the votes went

Two unanimous votes: approval of the August minutes with one correction, and release of the quarterly amendment for public comment.

From the published minutes.

Speaking at this meeting

Orange County's own rules for public comment — check them before you rely on anything here.

Agenda items (9)

Procedural · 5Staff or committee report · 2Minutes approval · 1Budget action · 1
  1. 1 Call to Order/Roll Call
    Procedural
    The chair called the meeting to order and welcomed Carrboro's new transportation manager as a voting alternate.
  2. 2 Adjustments to Agenda
    Procedural Budget and appropriationsTransit
    An update on the regional technology plan and the return to fares was added. The technology plan carries a $250,000 budget, $25,000 of it from the Orange County Transit Plan, covering trip planning and real-time updates, service planning tools, integrated regional payment and open data portals, with first recommendations due spring 2025. On fares, 94 percent of payments now come through the UMO app or card.
  3. 3 Public Comments
    Procedural
    None received.
  4. 4.a.i Approval of August 2024 Minutes
    Minutes approval
    Approved unanimously after correcting a reference to September that should have read October.
  5. 4.a.ii Quarterly Annual Work Program Amendment, Global Agreements, and Review of Project Sheets
    Budget action Budget and appropriationsRoads and transportationTransit
    The group unanimously released for public comment a $17,000 amendment to build curb ramps at North Columbus Street and MLK Boulevard in Chapel Hill, to be carried in the bus rapid transit project alignment. Global agreements with Hillsborough, Chapel Hill and Orange County are finalized. Project sheets reviewed include $200,000 for fast charging infrastructure for Chapel Hill Transit's electric buses, a Hillsborough greenway from the train station to downtown, and GoTriangle's consolidation of maintenance and bus stop projects into one operating category. Members asked that the budget effects be modeled and that the changes stay consistent with the 2017 and 2022 transit plans.
  6. 4.a.iii Public Engagement and Communication
    Staff or committee report Transit
    GoTriangle plans service changes for February 23, 2025, subject to board approval on December 22. Route 800 shifts to NC 54 full time to improve UNC to RTP connections. Route 805 is truncated at Southpoint but gains midday and evening service.
  7. 5 Project Sponsor Updates
    Staff or committee report Budget and appropriationsParks and recreationPublic facilitiesRoads and transportationTransit
    Carrboro reported progress on the Morgan Creek Greenway and the South Greensboro Street sidewalk, with an NCDOT meeting to come on SDS Drive bicycle and pedestrian improvements. GoTriangle reported its bus facility construction on schedule and on budget, with the CRX rerouting there from Raleigh Station in August 2025. Chapel Hill, Mebane and Hillsborough had no updates.
  8. 6 Next Meeting
    Procedural
    January 15, 2025.
  9. 7 Adjournment
    Procedural
    Adjournment.

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