Community members gathered bright and early on Monday morning to catch the GoTriangle Express bus from Carrboro to Durham for the first time.

Carrboro Mayor Lydia Lavelle was the first one to board the 405 and said it was an exciting morning for Carrboro.

“Our residents have been wanting this extended service for many years as part of the bus plan,” Lavelle said. “People will start seeing the buses come through Carrboro and they’ll start asking, ‘Where are the two stops where we can get on?’

“Because up until now it’s been, pretty much, having to go to Franklin Street and get on there.”

Lavelle said the new route will fill a large void for those looking to use public transit to commute between the two downtowns.

“Also, it’ll open up an avenue that people haven’t really thought about,” Lavelle said. “I think people will be really surprised who haven’t done it before to realize how easy it is to hop on here in Carrboro and be deposited right downtown [Durham].”

Lavelle added this is the next step in connecting the region in her eyes.

“Our town is so walkable, and we have so many folks in such a small concentrated area,” Lavelle said. “People will see this is just a great way to get around.”

Former Chapel Hill Town Council member Lee Storrow was also among the group eagerly awaiting the first trip. He said he believes this will be a successful route due to the willingness of community members to use public transit.

“Chapel Hill Transit system has been successful because students, employees of UNC and just residents of Orange County have made a commitment that using transit to not relying on consistently building more and more parking spots is a value that the community shares.”

The first full year of the extended service is expected to cost $650,000 and will be paid with funds gathered from voter-approved local sales tax and vehicle registration revenues.

For more information and to see the full extended bus service, visit GoTriangle’s website.

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