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The Daily Tar Heel

New Area Mayors May Jump-Start Efforts for Triangle Rail System

Recently elected mayors of Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill all have shown interest in creating a regional track.

Meeker, newly elected Durham Mayor Bill Bell and Chapel Hill Mayor-elect Kevin Foy all support smart-growth initiatives, including a regional rail system.

Planning for the regional rail system is being handled by the Triangle Transit Authority. To receive funding the project must first be approved by the U.S. Department of Transportation.

Funding for the project would come from all levels of government.

Meeker said his platform reflects his desire to hone in on environmental issues, particularly the reduction of strip development, traffic congestion and urban sprawl through the regional railway.

"I am all about better growth and practices, including the restriction of clear cutting of trees," he said.

Meeker added that in the future he will continue to stress the importance of environmental issues. "I want to coordinate the development of various cultural facilities and coordinate water and sewer facilities."

Meeker was elected mayor of Raleigh in a Nov. 6 run-off election against incumbent Paul Coble. He earned 51 percent of the vote and will be inaugurated Dec. 3.

Chapel Hill Mayor Rosemary Waldorf said urban sprawl is a vital issue and expressed support for Meeker's plan.

"In the past, Mayor Coble was an outspoken opponent of the regional rail system, (but) anybody who tries to get from Chapel Hill to (Research Triangle Park) knows that we have (an) absolutely bruising transit problem," she said.

Waldorf added that she thinks the railway will bring economic benefits to the area, as well as help to reduce urban sprawl.

"If money from the development community is going toward (building business offices, medical buildings, etc.) rather than slapping a subdivision out in the suburbs, then we will decrease Raleigh's sprawl," she said.

David Godschalk, UNC city and regional planning professor, said Meeker's on-the-record approval of the regional rail will be environmentally advantageous for the area.

"I think Mr. Meeker's election will be a real catalyst to move forward the Triangle Transit Authority's rail plan," he said. "I think the regional rail will make a big difference."

Godschalk said that in addition to connecting Triangle cities, the rail would decrease the rapidly growing urban sprawl in the Raleigh-Durham area.

"Putting in a mass transit rail line will encourage field development in stations in different areas where there will be train stops," he said. "The future growth will be concentrated in the areas around the rail line, and the popularity of that kind of living is bound to increase."

Godschalk added that other cities across the country have successfully joined metro areas by rail lines. "The greatest success story is Portland, Oregon, which faced a lot of sprawl. Hopefully the same will happen here."

The State & National Editor can be reached at stntdesk@unc.edu.

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