After two years of delays, Wake County’s Board of Commissioners held a work session July 21 to discuss next steps for transit in our county. The room was packed with eager listeners! Jim Hartmann, Wake’s new county manager, spoke about the need and challenges for regional transit, and the importance of working collaboratively. He declared that the 2011 plan previously presented to the Commissioners needs updating and proposed an aggressive timeline to get us moving – possibly for an October 2015 referendum.
The Commissioners gave approval for county staff to move ahead with hiring a consultant to guide the refresh, which could begin in full force in August. The consultant will help guide conversations with Commissioners, stakeholders, and staff to determine the goals for Wake’s transit system. Topics to be researched include feasibility of different options, funding and finances, and governance. The hope is to get a clear vision of what a transit system would do for Wake County, rather than specifically identifying transit routes or technologies. The refresh could be finished as early as March of 2015. View the county staff’s entire presentation here.