The Carrboro Board of Aldermen discussed the efforts to create a more efficient bus service along the U.S. 15-501 corridor at Tuesday's meeting.
GoTriangle is looking to make changes to routes that run between Orange and Durham counties. Among these improvements is the effort to extend GoTriangle bus services to the Carrboro area during peak hours of travel.
Jon Dodson, GoTriangle’s transit service planner, gave a presentation that detailed the implementation of the plan.
“It’s just a cleaner, more efficient system that would better connect Orange and Durham counties,” Dodson said.
Dodson said the improvements would increase frequency and would nurture a more reliable transit service for Triangle residents.
These new bus routes in Carrboro would be geared towards commuter’s schedules, providing service from approximately 6:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. to Durham and then from 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. returning to Carrboro. However, Dodson said a finalized schedule is pending.
Carrboro is aiming to finalize the logistics of the new bus routes by August.
“I really appreciate GoTriangle hearing our board and hearing our citizens," said Carrboro Mayor Lydia Lavelle. "The realigning of these two routes will now be more staggered and we will better accommodate commuters."
Board of Aldermen member Jacquelyn Gist urged the board to consider asking to extend the prospective service later into the evening to broaden employment opportunities to Carrboro residents.
"The proposed schedule is geared towards more professionals, but keeping these bus routes open would accommodate for wage workers, who work shifts," she said.
Board of Aldermen member Randee Haven-O’Donnell also pressed to keep these routes open during the night for safety reasons.
“Some of us like the clubs in Durham and would like to not have to worry about drunk driving,” Haven-O’Donnell said.
Notable:
The Board of Alderman spent the first part of the meeting voting to confirm appointees to myriad local government boards.
Quotable:
“I once attended the meeting in the Great Hall and the seniors were jitterbugging around,” said Haven-O’Donnell, in reference to changing the board retreat to the Seymour Center.
city@dailytarheel.com
To get the day's news and headlines in your inbox each morning, sign up for our email newsletters.
