In June 2019, while out running, I tripped while crossing an intersection. This didn’t happen only because I’m clumsy; the road I was crossing had been built around 2010 and never completed, so it was missing a final layer of asphalt. There’s a sharp cliff between the gutter pan and the street. It’s a tripping …
On Wednesday afternoon, the Chapel Hill Carrboro City Schools held a virtual meeting to discuss school buses. Those who tuned in quickly realized that our school bus system is in trouble—big trouble. We’ve lost drivers and buses, and have started using contracted vehicles just to get kids to school. There are children riding the bus …
I’m a kindergarten parent, so today was my first day participating in the Chapel Hill-Carrboro School District’s annual Bike and Walk to School Day. We met a crew of eager bikers at the top of Greensboro Street, and were joined by Council Member Sammy Slade for the bike to Carrboro Elementary. Another group led by …
A kindergartener parent perspective: My first bike and walk to school day Read More »
It’s always exciting when opposing groups can come together to advocate for the same much-needed improvements in Chapel Hill. We, as you might recall, are big fans of Bus Rapid Transit and Chapel Hill Transit’s planned North-South Bus Rapid Transit route (NSBRT) along MLK and S. Columbia. The NSBRT buses will travel in dedicated lanes …
We’re transit nerds, and are really excited about the planned North-South Bus Rapid Transit (NSBRT) project in Chapel Hill. This post details what the line is and how it will help transit and traffic in Chapel Hill. First, what is Bus Rapid Transit? If you’re reading this blog, you’ve probably been somewhere with rapid transit. …
Explainer: What is the North-South Bus Rapid Transit (NSRBT) in Chapel Hill? Read More »
My recent piece on the proposed Commuter Rail Project received some pushback, including from TBBer Melody Kramer. Most of the criticism made two points: 1). Highway spending is just as wasteful, and we never hear criticism of highways, and 2.) If we don’t support this project now, we’ll regret it in the future. While I’m sympathetic …
Five questions to ask before supporting a new transportation plan Read More »
We at Triangle Blog Blog are not a singularity, and we often debate civic topics amongst ourselves. So when my Triangle Blog Blog colleague Martin Johnson wrote earlier about GoTriangle’s latest commuter rail plans – saying that we shouldn’t move forward with the project due to high costs and potential low ridership, I wanted to …
Go, Go Triangle: Yes, we should move forward with the commuter rail project Read More »
This week, Jennifer Keesmaat and her team come back to Chapel Hill for another discussion about complete communities. At the previous meeting in August, she discussed her solution to Chapel Hill’s problems—greenways!—and suggested that she was interested in crowdsourcing where Chapel Hill might expand its greenway network. Of course, this is Chapel Hill, which means …
Chapel Hill’s Greenways: What’s next and what could be Read More »
On Tuesday, GoTriangle, our regional transit agency, gave a presentation to the Durham County Commissioners on its latest feasibility study for commuter rail in the Triangle. The study, which cost $9 million, was intended to build support for building a commuter rail line through the heart of the Research Triangle, beginning in West Durham and …
A Planning Study to Nowhere: GoTriangle’s commuter rail plans Read More »
Longer than it takes to cook, and eat a grilled cheese sandwich, apparently! This piece was written by Tab Combs and John Rees. Imagine sitting at a red light and someone comes up and says, ‘you can’t go until I’ve had time to make myself a sandwich.’ Ridiculous, right? So why would we ever assume …
How long does it take to cross a street in Chapel Hill? Read More »
