Funding, Details Of ACT's Plan Remain to Be Set

As UNC's Advisory Committee on Transportation's long-term parking and transportation plan progresses through the next several months of approval processes, it is uncertain whether it will remain in its current, largely conceptual form.

The five-year plan includes the construction of new parking decks, changes to roads and intersections, alternative transportation and the modification of parking policy and structures.

But because the proposal is only a concept, it lacks any definite information about cost estimates and timelines with the exception of the parking decks, which will cost slightly more than $100 million and will, with a few exceptions, coincide with the University's Development Plan.

Derek Poarch, ACT chairman and director of the Department of Public Safety, said there are areas of the plan that do not involve any costs, while the ones that do have not been discussed because of the plan's form. "This is just the tip of the iceberg," he said. "It is very conceptual, and there have not been any timelines attached because there have not been any approvals yet."

Dean Bresciani, ACT vice chairman and interim vice chancellor for student affairs, echoed Poarch's rationale.

"Until we have something defined as approved, it is difficult to put an exact price tag on it."

DPS will complete timelines for various elements of the plan sometime next month, after which it will send them to ACT for approval.

Chancellor James Moeser and the UNC vice chancellors will receive the proposal Tuesday, while the UNC Board of Trustees will receive it for informational purposes Jan. 22 at its Building and Grounds Committee meeting.

Because of several deviations from the Development Plan, the Chapel Hill Town Council likely will discuss the proposal as well.

Bresciani said the details of the plan might change as it goes through these steps of approval. "There is infinite flexibility in theory," he said. "The committee has done a lot of good work. I would suggest there will not be a lot of change, but the potential to change is still definitely there."

The plan has a variety of fund sources that will be used to help offset the cost of the construction projects, including user fees, private money, state money and money that will be generated from the new facilities.

The proposed policy changes, which include sliding-scale parking permit price increases, will generate enough money to cover $5 million in debt per year over the next 20 years for a total of $100 million.

"The budget for the next five years is balanced to the worst-case scenario," Poarch said. "Any improvements will be passed on to permit holders in the form of lower permit prices."

If the entire plan undergoes any changes, it likely will go back to the BOT in March.

Bresciani said that although the plan is only a concept, it includes viable material. "I think this is an action plan for the next five years of transportation."

The University Editor can be reached at udesk@unc.edu.