Keeping
Morrisville Moving: Mayor Jackie Holcombe Talks Transportation
Traffic
congestion. It's the #1 concern of Morrisville residents and
business owners. It can cause undesirable delays and safety issues.
Of course, traffic happens in a dynamic and vibrant community --
people want to drive to and from Morrisville. But no one wants to sit
in traffic, so after years of planning and talking about the problem,
Mayor Jackie Holcombe is leading the effort to take action on
Morrisville's transportation issues.
"I enthusiastically support continuing our aggressive efforts to
improve our transportation network and reduce traffic
congestion," Jackie stated. "I was a proud, proactive
advocate for the 2012 street improvement bonds that already are
funding projects that will make a significant, positive difference in
our community".
Mayor Holcombe believes in getting things done. Under her leadership,
Morrisville's transportation achievements
include:
- Approval of the 2012 street bonds by an
overwhelming 80% of voters. These bonds will provide up to $14.3
million for projects including the much needed NC54 bypass.
After more than a decade of discussion, this major project is
now set to begin construction in 2016, once
engineering design is complete. Funded by the bonds backed by a
2-cent property tax increase, the NC54 bypass will take about 12
months to complete once construction begins.
- Meanwhile, the existing NC54 corridor remains
an important transportation artery not only for Morrisville, but
for the region. So the Town of Morrisville has partnered with
the NC Department of Transportation, the Town of Cary, the
Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO) and
Norfolk Southern Railroad to develop the NC54 and More Feasibility Study.
This study identifies improvements to the existing NC 54
corridor between NC540 and Northwest Maynard Road.
- Another major project on the horizon is the Morrisville Parkway Grade Separation,
a federal project to build a railroad bridge over Morrisville
Parkway. Slated to begin in the first quarter of 2014, this
project will result in the closure of Morrisville Parkway for 6
- 9 months and take 3 years to fully complete. Although it will
be a major inconvenience to commuters and residents for several
months next year, this project will result in tremendous
improvements in traffic flow and public safety for the long
term.
- Morrisville adopted a comprehensive Transportation Plan
in 2009. It's an excellent plan, but it does not include funding
strategies to accomplish the plan. That's why, in 2011, Jackie
proposed a Transportation and Transit Task Force to pursue
funding initiatives for transportation improvements. Now known
as the Blue Ribbon Commission
on Transportation Funding, this
commission was approved by the Town Council just last month
after being featured in Mayor Holcombe's State of the Town
addresses and dedicated town transportation presentations. The
Blue Ribbon Commission will identify and promote innovative,
multi-stakeholder funding sources for Morrisville's
transportation improvements. Applications to serve on the
commission are being accepted now.
- When it comes to funding transportation
projects, Morrisville (unlike our neighboring municipalities)
does not have authority from the state legislature to collect
impact fees for transportation improvements. Under Jackie's
leadership, Morrisville for the first time has included matching
funds in our current year's budget that will enable the Town to
leverage additional funding from CAMPO's Locally Administered Projects Program.
- Morrisville citizens have made it clear that
transportation is among their most pressing concerns. To improve
focus and accelerate progress in this area, Mayor Holcombe
instituted quarterly Transportation Updates in 2010.
These updates are presented to the public and Town Council and
serve as a measure of progress and future priorities and help to
ensure that transportation remains at the forefront for elected
officials and the community.
- There's more to comprehensive transportation
solutions than just road improvements. The Town of Morrisville
was the first municipality in Wake County to formally support a
county-wide transit ballot referendum. This
referendum, if approved by Wake County Commissioners, would
enable voters to decide whether to fund regional transportation
solutions. Mayor Holcombe strongly supports a regional transit
system that would bring new transportation options to
Morrisville.
- One simple and inexpensive way to improve the
function of our existing transportation network is to ensure
that our citizens are well informed. The Town of Morrisville
issues regular notifications about a wide variety of topics,
including transportation. Subscribe on the town's web site to
receive up-to-date information.
Jackie notes that
"Transportation issues top the list of what our citizens are
concerned about, and transportation affects public safety and quality
of life. After years of discussion and planning, it's time for
community investment and action. I've demonstrated collaborative
leadership in this area, and we're making real progress".
Want to learn more? Check out the latest video in the series It's Good to be
Morrisville, the town's Transportation Plan
and our latest quarterly Transportation Update.
Or contact Jackie using one of the buttons at the top of this email.
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