HomeMy WebLinkAboutOutboard Minutes August 18 2025 ORANGE UNIFIED TRANSPORTATION BOARD MEETING MINUTES
Monday,August 18, 2025
131 W. Margaret Lane, Hillsborough, NC 27278
1 The Orange Unified Transportation Board Meeting was held on Monday,August 18, 2025, at 6:30 PM in the
2 West Campus Office Building.The following members and guests attended:
3
4 Jamie Crandell Eno Township
5 Erik Legg Cedar Grove Township
6 Gene Owen At Large
7 Susan Gladin Hillsborough Township
8 Art Menius Little River Township
9 Gregory Woloszczuk At Large
10 Roy Schonberg Chapel Hill Township
11 Joshua Mayo Cheeks Township
12 Sarah Williamson-Baker Orange County Staff
13 Nishith Trivedi Orange County Staff
14 Jamael Wiley Orange County Staff
15 Darlene Weaver Orange County Staff
16 EmmaLea Ange Orange County Staff
17 Amy Cole Guest
18
19 AGENDA ITEM 1: CALL TO ORDER
20 The meeting was called to order at 6:33 pm, and the roll was taken.
21
22 AGENDA ITEM 2: CONSIDERATIONS OF ADDITIONS TO AGENDA
23 No considerations to the agenda.
24
25 AGENDA ITEM 3. PUBLIC COMMENTS
26 No public comments- No members of the public were present.
27
28 AGENDA ITEM 4. MINUTES
29 The Board reviewed the draft minutes included in the packet.The draft contained incorrect attendance
30 (mixing April/June lists) and did not capture motions/seconders. Per EmmaLea Ange,technical issues
31 prevented saving the June recording.
32 Action: Members with notes from June will send them to EmmaLea.
33 Decision:The Board tabled approval of the prior minutes to correct attendance, confirm townships/seat
34 designations, and identify the motion makers and seconders.
35
36 AGENDA ITEM 5. REGULAR AGENDA
37
38 a. OUTboard Orientation Material Update
39 Nish presented a revised and concise orientation packet that consolidates bylaws, roles, and reference
40 materials into a single document. The Outboard members requested several edits, which included
41 updating acronyms (e.g., DCHC MPO /Triangle West), correcting dates, adding adopted policies (e.g.,
42 Complete Streets/Vision Zero),confirming the roster,and removing outdated`expertise'labels to reflect
43 geographic representation instead.
44 Motion:Amy Cole moved to approve the orientation materials with the noted edits.
45 Second: Gregory Woloszczuk
46 Unanimous approval
47
48 b. Non-STIP PMP Draft
49 Nish provided a summary of the Non-STIP PMP, a framework designed to coordinate low-cost
50 administrative safety and mobility improvements in partnership with NCDOT. NCDOT requires the
51 following information for submissions: (1)facility or location, (2)a problem statement, and (3) proposed
52 solutions.The department will handle the determination of funding sources administratively.
53
54 Outboard members recommended that the document be edited to ensure it is consistently data-driven,
55 that acronyms are fully spelled out and aligned with the orientation packet, and that considerations for
56 ADA/Title VI accessibility are included.
57
58 Motion: Eric Legg moved to approve the Non-STIP with the proposed edits.
59 Second: ??????
60 Unanimous approval
61
62 AGENDA ITEM 6.STAFF REPORT/UPDATES
63 a. Bus Shelter Policy
64 Darlene Weaver introduced a two-year Bus Shelter Policy focused on safety, comfort, and accessibility,
65 prioritizing locations near hospitals and high-need areas. Keyfeatures include adequate lighting,slip and
66 fall prevention, and ADA compliance,with a 12 to 18-month installation timeline.
67
68 The evaluation criteria for requests involve daily boardings (aiming for 3 to 9 for permanent shelters),
69 safety, ADA standards, and community benefits, with plans to select 2 to 3 shelters for purchase each
70 year.
71
72 The Outboard committee raised concerns about limited support from retail property owners like Food
73 Lion and Walgreens.They suggested Scottswood as a potential relocation site and highlighted the need
74 for safer transfer areas and marked crosswalks. Recommendations included prioritizing ADA upgrades
75 on Orange Grove Road, aligning jail release times with transport services, improving headsigns on
76 electric buses, and enhancing rider education through various materials.
77
78
79 b. Hillsborough Circulator(Blue&Orange Loop)
80 Jameal Wiley updated on the expansion effective June 23, 2025,where the single Hillsborough
81 Circulator was replaced by the Blue and Orange Loops to improve circulation times. Early ridership
82 shows two distinct routes,with expectations for growth as riders adjust to transfers and a 45-minute
83 frequency. Popular boarding points are the Library(a transfer point),the Department of Social Services,
84 and increased use near Food Lion on US-70. Operations are conducting rider outreach and addressing
85 phone access concerns.
86
87 c. Transportation Planning Update
88 • NCDOT, Project Status; Department Updates
89 Nish explained that the-Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) will likely be amended
90 due to funding changes brought on by recent federal actions, increased construction costs and recovery
91 efforts.A local turn-lane construction near Hardee's seems developer-driven, and staff will follow up on
92 it. Bike racks for electric buses have been ordered, and Orange County employees can ride local routes
93 for free.Staff will hold a mission and vision workshop in September to guide policy updates. Nish provide
94 other transportation planning updates as described in the published Information memo.
95
96 AGENDA ITEM 7:ADJOURNMENT
97 The OUTBoard meeting was adjourned at 8:37 pm.The next meeting is scheduled for September 151n
98 2025.