Durham-Orange Friends of Transit (DO Transit) is an alliance of local organizations, civic leaders and citizens who support regional transit for the Triangle. DO Transit is building public support and political will in Orange and Durham Counties for a forward-looking transit plan that is convenient, accessible and affordable.
Working as partners, the Durham, Chapel Hill, Carrboro Metropolitan Planning Organization (DCHC MPO) and the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO) have, for the first time, developed coordinated regional long range transportation plans which incorporate the recommendations of their joint advisory commission, the Special Transit Advisory Commission (STAC). DO Transit calls upon DCHC MPO to continue this cooperative effort with CAMPO while working with all the counties and local governments in the region to implement the STAC recommendations, including the transit components in the DCHC MPO Draft 2035 Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP).
In the past decade, the Triangle has experienced an extraordinary rate of growth creating one of the most sprawling, auto-centric regions in the nation. This threatens our economy and quality of life with long commutes, congestion, and lack of transportation choices, especially for elderly and lower income households.
The Triangle depends on a well-functioning transportation system that offers reliable, cost-effective and time-competitive service for commuters and freight. Fuel prices and the other costs of auto ownership will continue to increase and are already beyond the reach of many households in the Triangle. With a good transit system, businesses will continue to locate centrally where they can draw from a wider labor pool, serve our regional market and be close to key infrastructure and institutions.
Expanding roadways will adversely impact neighborhoods, violate federal air quality standards, pollute our water, and destroy open space, agricultural lands, and natural habitats. Rather, if we create transit neighborhoods focusing our population along transit corridors, we can shape a different future for the Triangle region.
The Regional Transit Vision Plan adopted by the STAC and incorporated in the Draft 2035 Plan demonstrates how the Triangle can become a transit-rich region. To make this a reality we must develop a comprehensive funding strategy. Equally as important, we must have consistent land use planning which is uniformly enforced across the region providing for transit oriented development with bikeable/walkable sustainable mixed use neighborhoods and business districts.
The Plan we endorse is built on a solid foundation of expanded local bus service, seamlessly integrated with enhanced regional bus service serving many Triangle communities and Park and Ride lots. Connected to this system are the circulators that provide connections within our major educational, medical and economic activity centers. The regional system is anchored by rail service that serves and connects the major cities in the Triangle.
DO Transit invites all local citizens, organizations, businesses and institutions to sign our statement in support of transit, as follows.
For more information, please contact Bo Glenn at dotransit@durhamorangefriendsoftransit.org.
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To sign the petiton statement below, select one of the three choices
I am a :
OUR STATEMENT OF SUPPORT:
"Durham-Orange Friends of Transit (DO Transit) recognizes that transit is essential to maintain a high quality of life for all by providing convenient, accessible and affordable transportation choices that improve job and economic growth, and protect the environment. We support a comprehensive regional transit system which creates efficient travel options and supports sustainable land use patterns that will help our metropolitan area continue to grow and prosper while preserving our quality of life.
"We support implementation of the recommended vision of the Special Transit Advisory Commission (STAC), as incorporated into the Long Range Transportation Plans of the Triangle's two Metropolitan Planning Organizations and urge development of specific, local plans including, but not limited to:.
- expanded local and regional bus service;
- circulators for the major population and activity centers;
- express service to the Airport from major metropolitan areas;
- light rail transit (LRT) from North Raleigh to Chapel Hill;
- park and ride lots connected by the transit network; and
- enhanced transit access for pedestrians and cyclists.
"We call for increased transit funding from the State of North Carolina and the federal government with a fair mixture of local funding sources. We encourage all Triangle cities and counties to adopt and consistently enforce regulations and planning strategies which will shape sustainable land use patterns to be more transit oriented in order to make regional transit feasible and successful.
"Durham-Orange Friends of Transit will encourage the public to support a regional transit plan consistent with the values expressed above."