Vote yes for transit

CORRECTION: An early version of this editorial said Charlotte’s LYNX system has a ridership of about 7,000 a day. Average daily ridership is more than 15,000. The editorial has been updated to reflect this change.

With all the hype surrounding the presidential election, it can be easy for voters to forget about other issues on the ballot.

But one referendum on this year’s ballot, the half-cent sales tax increase to fund transit improvements, gives voters the chance to choose what sort of community they want to live in.

Voters should vote “yes” on the county’s One-Half Percent Local Sales and Use Tax for the sake of livability and economic vibrancy in Chapel Hill, Orange County and the Triangle.

The tax would fund a plan that has its problems but is, on balance, a good idea.

It would pay for more frequent Chapel Hill Transit bus service, especially at night and on weekends, as well as enhanced Orange Public Transit and Triangle Transit service.

The plan would also allow for new bus shelters, passenger information signs and bus-only lanes on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard to expedite travel. Buses will be easier and more convenient to catch.

The plan also provides for the construction of a train station in Hillsborough. This would connect Orange County residents to the Charlotte-Raleigh Amtrak route.

But the plan’s biggest and most controversial project is the future construction of a light rail line between Chapel Hill and East Durham.

The light rail has high boondoggle potential and causes some trepidation about the plan as a whole.

The issue of whether Chapel Hill is dense enough to support light rail — or whether people will want to use it in the first place — isn’t quite settled.

Those advocating for the plan claim the data estimates that 14,000 riders will use the system daily (for comparison, about 15,000 people use Charlotte’s LYNX system daily).

This number passes the sniff test, but just barely. The line isn’t likely to open for at least a decade. But given the rapid growth the Durham-Chapel Hill area has seen, 10 years from now that number might not be far-fetched.

Setting aside feasibility issues, the light rail line would be useful for students. Durham and Duke University would be far more accessible, a fact which might encourage students to get out of Chapel Hill. This is especially true for the substantial portion of the student population that can’t afford cars.

Obviously, all of these benefits cost money. Some of this money will come from the sales tax increase.

Importantly, the increase would not apply to taxes on food, gas, utilities, medicine or housing. Poorer residents — who tend to rely more on public transit to begin with — would not find themselves wrung dry when paying for essentials.

Also, the federal government would bear the vast majority of the costs of the Hillsborough Amtrak station and is projected to pay for roughly half of the costs of the light rail.

By passing the referendum, Orange County residents would get far more than their money’s worth.

It’s important to keep in mind what happens if the referendum doesn’t pass. People will pay less in taxes. Opponents of the referendum don’t think the plan is worth the tax hike.

But that is short-sighted. The fact of the matter is that Chapel Hill and the Triangle are growing. More people means more cars. Those cars have to drive on roads.

In the absence of good transit, that leaves two options. Either the Triangle builds more roads or it lets the congestion build and build.

Neither option is appealing. The first costs money and exacerbates sprawl. The second stifles commerce and leads to headaches for drivers.

Moreover, rejecting the plan leaves transit vulnerable to shocks. If the price of gasoline goes up, service gets cut precisely when it’s needed most.

The Triangle has to decide what sort of future it wants for itself as it grows and develops. Should it eschew transit and rely on cars and roads, potentially risking becoming a congested mess?

Or should it plan for the future by embracing the need for improved transit options at the cost of a slightly higher tax rate?

The answer is clear. The small tax increase — which amounts to an extra nickel on a $10 purchase — is worth it.

The plan might not be perfect, but it will help make the Triangle more livable and sustainable for students and residents alike.