Planning & Transportation
Guest Post by Jeff Vanke
Orange County relies on RDU Airport, although only Durham and Wake County citizens have a say in its operations. The Airport Authority, including more than one construction magnate, is planning to knock down Terminal C and rebuild it. The cost is $350 million, to be paid in increased parking fees. Demolition is slated to begin around December. The situation is urgent.
Justifications range from the need for expansion, to a desire to enhance passenger flow. Further commentary and a solicitation for help is available at my one-issue blog: saverdu.org
Please consider swamping newspapers with letters, and encouraging your friends in Durham and Wake Counties to hound their elected officials, who appoint the Airport Authority members.
Jeff Vanke is a native of Durham County. He lives in Carrboro with his wife and son, where he is a full-time father and a half-time Associate Professor online at Kaplan College.
OK, maybe not, but a bunch of folks have been spent some time thinking about how you will be able to get around Chapel Hill and the Triangle area more efficiently and healthily (is that a word?) in the future without having to park your butt on I-40 for two hours daily.
The Town of Chapel Hill's draft Bicycle and Pedestrian Action Plan will be discussed at a public hearing at the Town Council Meeting on Spetember 20. Some of my initial impressions:
There are a variety of hot topics on the the Chapel Hill Town Council agenda tonight. I won't be there in person, but I'll be watching on TV and will report semi-live on this thread as the meeting is in progress.
A few highlights:
It's exciting to see the Town move forward with plans to develop a transit hub downtown. (I know most folks probably wouldn't use the word "exciting" to describe this, but that's how you know I am a geek.) The Triangle Transit Authority has already started Phase 1 of it's regional rail plan, which will connect downtown Raleigh, north Raleigh, Cary, RTP, and downtown Durham. Chapel Hill will be added in Phase 2, along with the airport (which should have been in Phase -1, but that's another rant).
I was asked to share this gem from last's night's Planning Board meeting with you. Phil Szostak is an architect who is developing an addition for Olin T. Binkley Baptist Church. Binkley is a leading progressive institution in this community and is also very prominently located next to University Mall on The Bypass. So I found it very amusing that Phil kept claiming "we're just a little church." If that's so, then UNC is a community college, OK?
Pages
About Us
OrangePolitics is a not-for-profit website for discussing progressive perspectives on politics, planning, and public policy in Orange County, NC. Opinions are those of their authors. Learn more.
Community Guidelines
By using this site, you agree to our community guidelines. Inappropriate or disruptive behavior will result in moderation or eviction.
Zircon - This is a contributing Drupal Theme
Design by
WeebPal.
