Orange County and Triangle Transit have teamed up to host a series of public outreach meetings throughout May on bus services included in the Orange County Bus and Rail Investment Plan.

Some members of the Orange County Board of Commissioners have already expressed their concerns regarding proposed bus-service extensions to central and rural Orange County over the next five years.

Those Commissioners looked at proposed routes and wondered if they provided adequate service to rural Orange County residents.

Here’s Commissioner Renee Price, who represents District 2, which includes Hillsborough and unincorporated Orange County:

“I’m having trouble seeing this as a plan that really works for the people of Orange County,” she said. “It seems like everything is focused on going to Durham.”

And here Commissioner Earl McKee, who also represents District 2:

“Why the fascination with 85?” he asked. “It makes better sense, from a community standpoint, and the feedback I’ve gotten, to keep Triangle Transit on 70 – not 85.”

Joint presenters from Orange Public Transit and Triangle Transit at the May 8 meeting of the Board of Commissioners offered assurances that decisions about proposed routes were informed by surveys of potential riders.

Members of the public will have four more chances to weigh in on bus services before Commissioners revisit the topic in June.

The first public outreach meeting will be held from 5:30 p.m. until 7 p.m. on May 19 at The Northern Human Services Cafeteria in Cedar Grove Park, located at 5800 NC Highway 86.

Here’s the rest of the meeting schedule:

  • May 21 at Mebane Council Chambers, 106 E. Washington Street, Mebane, from 5:30 p.m. until 7 p.m.
  • May 22 at Town Barn, 101 E. Orange Street, Hillsborough (Access parking off E. Corbin) from 5 p.m. until 6:30 p.m.
  • May 28 at Efland-Cheeks Community Center, 117 Richmond Road, Efland, from 5:30 p.m. until 7:00 p.m.