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. […]
Transportation
Posted inBike and Walk
Five questions to ask before supporting a new transportation plan
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 […]
Posted inTransportation
Go, Go Triangle: Yes, we should move forward with the commuter rail project
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 […]
Posted inGreenway
Chapel Hill’s Greenways: What’s next and what could be
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 […]
Posted inTransportation
A Planning Study to Nowhere: GoTriangle’s commuter rail plans
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 […]
Posted inConnectivity
How long does it take to cross a street in Chapel Hill?
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 […]