Before moving forward in the design and engineering process, the Federal Transit Administration asked for Chapel Hill officials to revise and narrow down their locally preferred alternative for the proposed Bus Rapid Transit system for the Martin Luther King Junior Boulevard corridor. The town is asking the FTA to fund half of the BRT project.

The revised plan was approved unanimously by the Town Council. It ruled out several features, including central running lanes for buses and a northern extension of the route up to Durham Tech Community College’s Orange County campus in Hillsborough. Additionally, a new stop was added at the intersection of Homestead Road and MLK based on public feedback.

Many aspects of the route, including exact locations for bus stops and the inclusion of dedicated lanes and curbed bus stops are still in early design phases.

Mayor Pam Hemminger spoke to WCHL’s Aaron Keck last week about what she wants to see out of the project.

“We want to have an urban designer involved; we want to have some more public input. We don’t want that freeway feel coming into town,” she said. “That’s not what we’re going for.”

After the FTA accepts the revisions adopted last week, an environmental study can begin, and the design process will continue. At the moment, however, the approval process is being delayed until the federal government can reopen.

More information on the project is available here.

Related Stories
‹
Chapel Hill Transit Lands $24.4 Million in Federal Grants for Bus Rapid Transit Project
Chapel Hill Transit's future bus rapid transit project got a funding boost, with $24.4 million in federal grants announced Wednesday.
Chapel Hill Transit Marks 20th Anniversary of Fare-Free Service
When people hopped onto a Chapel Hill Transit bus this weekend, they may have thought about making sure they were on the correct route, what time it was or whether they were wearing a face mask. But one thing they didn’t have to think about? Having to pay for the ride. According to the transit […]
Orange County Approves Additional Funding for Chapel Hill Bus Rapid Transit Project
Orange County Commissioners approved an amendment to the Orange County Transit plan Tuesday night focused on increasing funding for the Chapel Hill North South Bus Rapid Transit project. The proposal would run buses in dedicated lanes for the vast majority of the trip from Eubanks Road in northern Chapel Hill down Martin Luther King Junior […]
Chapel Hill Transit Hosting Public for Update on North-South BRT
Martin Luther King Junior Boulevard stretching from northern Chapel Hill to downtown is one of the most heavily trafficked corridors in Chapel Hill and Carrboro during rush hour with vehicles and Chapel Hill transit buses shuffling commuters. The traffic issues prompted conversations and a study, leading to a proposed North-South Bus Rapid Transit system. The […]
GoTriangle Touts Light Rail Project Ahead of Funding Request Deadline
As the municipal vote on whether to approve the Durham-Orange Corridor draws near, the Orange County Board of Commissioners heard from GoTriangle employees last week on the merits of light rail. Patrick McDonough, the transit authority’s manager of planning and development, told board members that projected regional growth rates reinforce the need for the project. […]
Federal Loans Considered for Durham-Orange Light Rail Project
Financing options for the Durham-Orange Light Rail Transit Project were presented to the Orange County Board of Commissioners last week during a regular meeting. The presentation was made by Danny Rogers on behalf of GoTriangle, a state-sponsored public transit authority that started research on regional rail systems in 1992. “We want to make sure that […]
The 5:00 News - 828 MLK, Orange County Budget, Juneteenth
The Hill's Andrew Stuckey presents the afternoon news. Included in this edition of the news, we learn the latest on the Town's efforts to remediate coal ash at 828 MLK Jr. Blvd. We also hear details on the recently passed Orange County Budget, the latest on an affordable housing project coming to Hillsborough, and details on Chapel Hill and Carrboro's Juneteenth celebration on Thursday. In sports, the UNC Women's Basketball team adds another player to next year's roster, several athletes get individual honors, and more.
Chapel Hill’s Weavers Grove Welcomes First Residents, Offering a Vision of Inclusive Homeownership
Weavers Grove, the long-anticipated mixed-income community spearheaded by Habitat for Humanity of Orange County, is officially coming to life in Chapel Hill.
Talking Culture: Elizabeth Woodman Asks, 'Who Killed Rachel Crook?'
Aaron welcomes Elizabeth Woodman, creator of the "27 Views" podcast - whose latest installment explores a still-unsolved 1951 local murder.
Chapel Hill Hears Update on 828 MLK Boulevard's Potential Uses, Coal Ash Remediation Options
The Chapel Hill Town Council recently heard an update on the effort to develop the 828 Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard site.
›