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The Daily Tar Heel

Town officials call for change in transit funding priorities

Online exclusive

The N.C. Department of Transportation and Chapel Hill don't quite see eye to eye when it comes to transit funding.

As a result, Chapel Hill Town Council members voted Monday to request that the state change the way it prioritizes transit funding for long-range projects.

The state created a draft ranking of projects for the region expected to take place from 2007 through 2013 based on a variety of inputs, including the priorities of Chapel Hill.

However, the state's list and Chapel Hill's have almost nothing in common.

The only item to rank in both the Chapel Hill and draft regional lists' top five was Seawell School Road, which was Chapel Hill's third pick and the state's number five.

The town's first two priorities, additional transit capital for vehicle replacement and facility construction and an upgrade to the traffic signal system were ranked number 16 and 39, respectively.

The key factor leading to the difference, according to town officials, was that the town focused on projects that enhanced alternative modes of transportation, while the state did not.

 

Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu

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