Background
Effective and efficient transit and transportation are critical components of successful communities. Thanks to good planning and a strong partnership between UNC-Chapel Hill and the towns of Chapel Hill and Carrboro, Chapel Hill Transit provides fare-free transit to our community. Chapel Hill Transit is the second largest transit system in North Carolina, behind only Charlotte. Our communities are also served regionally by GoTriangle, connecting our communities to Durham and Raleigh. Currently, GoTriangle and GoDurham are also providing fare-free service.Chapel Hill and Carrboro are also among the most bikeable and walkable communities in the state, with a growing network of connected facilities for people on bicycles and on foot.
As our region continues to grow, traffic and congestion continue to be top concerns of not just people living in our community, but also of our neighbors in Durham, Raleigh, and other Triangle cities. Good planning, including significant investment in mass transit, can help alleviate pressures on our road network.
Policy Ideas + Solutions
Transportation is rapidly changing, with more communities investing in mass transit, such as light rail and bus rapid transit, expanding safe and connected bicycle and pedestrian networks both on- and off-road, recognizing the increasing popularity of e-bikes, and creating innovative on-demand ride solutions to enhance the mobility of those without access to a car. NEXT believes that by investing in stronger public transit infrastructure today, our community can be well positioned to leverage transit with bicycling and walking to create a community that is not car-dependent and leads in people-centered, sustainable, innovative transportation solutions.
Addressing our mobility problems requires leadership and forward-thinking solutions that acknowledge rapidly changing transportation technologies and the need to center transportation on moving people not automobiles. We believe by thinking about the future of transportation in shaping our planning decisions, rather than the short-term impacts, we can shape a stronger community.
We support:
- Expand transit service and frequency that prioritizes our transit-dependent neighbors and focuses on transit-oriented corridors.
- Build bike lanes on all roads, including protected bike lanes on roads with speed limits of 35 miles per hour and above.
- Build sidewalks on every major road, and improve maintenance on existing sidewalks
- Working towards a connected, accessible network of off road trails and greenways, connecting schools, shopping centers, parks, and neighborhoods.
- Support the construction of the North-South Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project and ultimately an East-West BRT as well.