20181249 Ver 1_Attachment 23 - 2015-12-09 $2.3B Recommended Wake Transit Plan Would Quadruple Bus Service_20181217

$2.3 Billion Recommended Wake Transit Plan Would Quadruple Bus Service � WLJNC
$2.3 Billion Recommended Wake Transit Plan
Would Quadruple Bus Service
By REBECCA MARTINEZ (/PEOPLE/REBECCA-MARTINEZ) • DEC 9, 2015
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Wake County has unveiled a transit plan to cut down on traf fic.
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$2.3 Billion Recommended Wake Transit Plan Would Quadruple Bus Service � WLJNC
Wake County Officials have unveiled a 10-year Recommended Wake County Transit Plan
(http://www.waketransit.com/). It would expand bus service, create a Bus Rapid Transit system, and
build a 37-mile rail line from Garner to Durham.
Census data shows Wake County is growing by more than 60 people per day
(http://www.wakegov.com/planning/peopleandplaces/Pages/default.aspx). Wake County
Commissioner Matt Calabria says the county needs to hurry on a transit plan to keep up with the
population.
"It'll cut into the congestion problem that we're starting to see on many of our major thoroughfares,"
Calabria says. "You don't even have to ride the bus or ride the train to benefit from it because some
people will, and that will pull them off the roads and cut down on commuting times."
Calabria adds that expanded transit would better serve poor and rural populations, and help revitalize
downtowns throughout the county. He adds that the plan would build on C-Tran, GoTriangle and
GoRaleigh transit.
"Raleigh has its own bus system that it implements right now, and that's primarily within Raleigh,
though it goes to some other places, too. But, as a governance matter, Raleigh will continue to provide
service presumably, and we're adding a lot of service to that."
The project would cost $2.3 billion for the first 10 years. A Wake County press release says that
includes $1.6 billion for new buses and train cars, shelters and other infrastructure. Funding sources
include a proposed half-cent sales tax increase, vehicle registration fees and rental tax revenues,
federal and state assistance and bus and train fares.
The recommended plan would go before Wake County Commissioners next spring, and a tax increase
to pay for it could end up on the ballot in next year's general election.
TAGS: PUBLIC TRANSIT (/TERM/PUBLIC-TRANSIT) WAKE COUNTY TRANSIT (/TERM/WAKE-COUNTY-TRANSITI
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