FAQs
The following Frequently Asked Questions will be updated as the Orange County Transit Plan process progresses. If you don’t see an answer to your question feel free to reach out and ask us directly!
Updates and Comments
How can I ask a question about the plan?
Click here to use our online question/comment portal.
Call/send a message to the Orange County Transit Plan Project Manager (Craig Benedict, AICP) Email: [email protected] | Phone: 919-245-2585
Email the project team at: [email protected]
Attend our next event!
Will there be opportunities for public comment on the Plan? How is the public being engaged?
To ensure the plan reflects the needs of the community, development of the transit plan is organized around two intensive “waves” of outreach and engagement. Each wave of engagement will span approximately 4-6 weeks and include the following elements:
- Two Virtual Transit Summits: Engagement and outreach for the Orange County Transit Plan Project must be conducted virtually due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and associated restrictions on in-person gatherings. The Summits will be facilitated via webcast or using an online video conferencing platform such as GoToMeeting. The webcast/video conference will be combined with a method of receiving real-time feedback such as PollEverywhere (a platform that allows participants to reply using the text message function on mobile phones or by using a website. Invitees/participants will include community stakeholders (leaders, advocates, organizers, service providers, staff) and more with a vested interest in supporting Orange County’s transit plan as representatives of their respective communities, clients, constituents, etc. The outcome of the first virtual Transit Summit is the identification of a preliminary set of community transit goals and the development of a network of embedded project “ambassadors.” The outcome of the second virtual Transit Summit is the selection of a preferred transit investment scenario to move forward to budgeting and planning.
- Online Engagement: Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, “high touch” or tactical engagement (pop-up events, bus stop surveys, etc.) was planned for Orange County Transit Plan outreach and community engagement. Given the mandated restrictions on mass gatherings and the social distancing recommendations from public health officials, a project website and a robust social media approach will provide information to the public and acquire the feedback needed for plan development. A survey will be created to gather feedback from the public and other stakeholders. The survey and website will be advertised in/on transit vehicles, transit applications, websites, social media (including Next Door), targeted mailings, bus stops, and more to reach a broad cross-section of the community.
Background
What transit systems are covered in the Orange County Transit Plan? Does the plan integrate regional transit systems?
The 2020 Orange County Transit Plan update includes the three public transportation systems that provide transit services within Orange County. These are Chapel Hill Transit, GoTriangle, and Orange County Public Transportation. GoTriangle provides regional service and connections to other transit service providers including GoDurham and Piedmont Area Regional Transit (PART).
Who decides what is in the plan? Will there be options?
Plan development is guided by the staff working group, the Policy Steering Committee, local transit service providers, a team of consultants, and – most importantly – the community. The project scope includes the development of several transit “scenarios” for Orange County. These scenarios are developed based on the community’s transit goals combined with general best practice principles for transit planning. The community will have opportunities to provide input on transit plan goals and to weigh in on the selection of a “preferred transit investment scenario” that will form the basis of the transit plan update.
How long will it take to update the Plan? What is the timeline for completion?
The 2020 Orange County Transit Plan update kicked off in March 2020. The final 2020 transit plan is expected to be complete by April 2021.
How is transit funded in Orange County?
There are four dedicated revenue streams used to fund projects and services in the Transit Plan (Tax District Revenues). These four dedicated Tax District Revenue streams are:
- Article 43: Half‐Cent Sales and Use Tax
- Article 50: Five‐Percent Vehicle Rental Tax
- Article 51: Three‐Dollar increase to GoTriangle Regional Vehicle Registration Fee
- Article 52: Seven‐Dollar County Vehicle Registration Fee
Many of the projects and services in the Transit Plan Update will be funded through a combination of Tax District Revenues and other funds including farebox revenues, state funds, and federal funds. Using these various funding sources, this Plan strives to equitably meet the transportation needs and goals of Orange County.
Why is the Transit Plan being updated?
In March 2019, the Durham-Orange Light Rail Transit Project was discontinued. This project was central to the adopted 2017 Orange County Transit Plan. It served as the plan’s primary investment, a critical partnership between Durham and Orange counties, and a significant piece of transit infrastructure around which transit services and growth strategies were planned. In response to the discontinuation of the light rail project, Orange County began the process of creating a framework to update the Transit Plan.
Who is involved in creating the Transit Plan?
Transit services in Orange County are provided by three agencies, each of which will participate in the drafting of the updated Plan. These include Chapel Hill Transit, Orange County Public Transportation, and GoTriangle. A staff working group is composed of representatives from local government as well as the DCHC Metropolitan Planning Organization and the Council of Regional Governments. A Policy Steering Committee is composed of appointees from the County and from each municipality in the County. The Policy Steering Committee will provide guidance on the vision and goals of the Transit Plan and help prioritize the types and quantities of service improvements and infrastructure investments that will best serve the communities they represent. Additionally, Orange County has hired a consulting team to support the transit plan’s development and to facilitate community engagement and outreach.
What is the Orange County Transit Plan update?
The 2020 Orange County Transit Plan update is a long-range transportation planning document containing a program of transit services and projects to be funded by dedicated local revenues for transit in Orange County over a 20-year period. The plan will identify and prioritize new investments, fund service improvements, and improve the resiliency of the network of transit services. In 2012, the Board of Orange County Commissioners, the Durham-Chapel Hill Carrboro Metropolitan Planning Organization (DCHC MPO), and GoTriangle adopted the County’s first comprehensive Transit Plan that allocated a newly adopted Article 43 Half-Cent Sales Tax dedicated to funding public transportation improvements in Orange County. That plan included investments in new and expanded bus service and new capital infrastructure projects such as the Chapel Hill North-South Bus Rapid Transit Project, the Hillsborough Train Station, and the Durham-Orange Light Rail Project intended to connect employment, education, and health care centers in Durham and Chapel Hill. The Orange County Transit Plan was updated in 2017 to further accommodate the Durham-Orange Light Rail Project. The 2020 Orange County Transit Plan updates and supersedes the adopted 2017 plan.
Misc Topics
Who is the consultant team selected by Orange County to develop the transit plan?
The consulting team is led by Renaissance Planning with key support provided by Jarrett Walker + Associates, McClaurin Solutions, and Bilingual Communications, Inc.
Transit planning is new to me – where can I learn more?
Learn more about transit planning basics here: https://humantransit.org/basics
How has COVID-19 affected the Plan update process?
Adjustments have been made to the plan’s outreach and engagement strategy given the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and associated North Carolina Executive Orders and local orders prohibiting mass gatherings and requiring social distancing. The executive and local orders inhibit the ability to conduct in-person outreach and engagement, but an adapted approach has been developed to inform the community and gather the necessary insights and feedback needed from the public and key community stakeholders.
Where can I find more information about the previous plans?
Click the links to learn more about Orange County’s transit plans.
What is the “Triangle Tax District”?
The Triangle Tax District is administered by GoTriangle and manages the funds received for the transit tax districts in Durham, Orange, and Wake counties. Each county’s transit tax revenues are governed by a separate plan; in the case of Orange County the Orange CountyTransit Plan dictates how these tax revenues are governed. The most recent Orange County Transit Plan was adopted by the Orange County Board of Commissioners, the GoTriangle Board of Trustees, and the Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Metropolitan Transportation Organization (DCHC MPO) in 2017, and replaced the Bus and Rail Investment Plan adopted in 2012.
Tax District Funds are generated from a ½ cent sales tax, two-vehicle registration fees ($7 and $3, respectively), and a vehicle rental fee. The Tax District has collected revenues since 2013 and has allocated funding since 2014.
How will changes and updates be communicated to the public? How do I sign up for project updates?
Plan updates will be published on the project website www.octransit2020.com, on Orange County social media, on transit vehicles/at transit stops, and via media releases.
You can also sign up for updates here.