TO THE EDITOR:
UNC students, faculty and staff know the importance of transit for getting easily and safely to campus — especially given limited parking.
A few years ago, Orange County voters voted to raise a half-cent sales tax to fund transit improvements, including the Durham-Orange Light Rail and bus service expansion.
Some of this has already been implemented, and UNC students, faculty and staff are seeing the benefits: examples include year-round night service on the Chapel Hill Transit CM, CW, D and J routes and extension of the GoTriangle 405 route.
Local government officials, including the Orange County Board of Commissioners, are currently reviewing updated Transit Plans from GoTriangle.
They have been asked by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to respond with our local commitment to the Transit Plan. The time is now to move forward with the Transit Plan.
Students will continue to benefit from additional bus service improvements and from the light rail, which will make it even easier to get to other Triangle universities to take classes and to get to jobs and internships. A light rail system also sends a signal to the rest of the world that our community is forward-thinking in tackling congestion, car dependence, and regional growth.
Students can write to the Orange County Board of Commissioners (ocbocc@orangecountync.gov) and attend its meeting on Tuesday, April 18, 7 p.m. at Southern Human Services Center to let them know you are a transit rider and you support the Transit Plan.
Katy Lang
