INC NEWS - Urgent action needed re: bus shelter

[laura drey]

Having buses serve Durham is mandatory.  People ride the
buses who cannot afford a vehicle, are not sighted, are
underage and prefer to use mass transit.  Bus shelters are
necessary to be provided  given the numbers of riders whose
destination is Northgate Mall.  Riders need be able to go
to Northgate in order to work, shop, eat and as a place to
recreate.  Riders are a source of income to Northgate
businesses.  Residents of Trinity Park want to see that
DATA meets its requirements to best serve its riders.  

A committee of neighbors in Trinity Park has been formed in
order to have input into where DATA locates a bus shelter
that meets the riders, neighorhood, Northgate's and DATA's
needs.  The major issue of concern for the residents of
Trinity Park are the riders' safety when employeees and
shoppers from Northgate Mall cross Club Blvd to reach the
bus stop on the south side of Club Blvd.  

There are a number of other concerns for Trinity Park. 
There will be an increase in ridership due to the new movie
theater and given when movies get out numbers of riders
will be catching the bus at a later hour.  A few people
cause litter, vandalism, and disturbances of the peace at
the existing bus stop at Tharrington's.  It is presumed
that if a new bus shelter is loacted between two residences
on Club Blvd, between Dollar Ave. and Gregson Streets, 
that these problems will move to the new shelter. 
Trespassing also occurs now.  The numbers of riders may
decrease once the construction nearby roads is complete.

There are a few ways to have input into the location of the
bus stops that serve Northgate Shopping Center.

The DATA staff is expected to reach a decision by Thursday,
Jauary 26. at 5 pm about where to locate a bus shelter. 
Time is of the essence so it may be best to call.  Emails
are good to have a paper trail.   ask at a minimum that
there be a further investigation of alternatives to
installing a bus shelter in a residential neighborhood. 
Neighbohrs are in aggeeement that there is better location
for the shelter than in a residential area.  The shelter
could be located either on Northgate's property, the right
of way around Norhgate or across the street close to the
banks.  

Call Steve Mancuso, a DATA bus administrator, today.  His
number is 957-7336 extension 21.  "Mancuso, Stephen"  may
be emailed at  <Stephen.Mancuso at durhamnc.gov>  Another
person to speak with at  DATA is Mr. Cha'ssem Anderson, a
transportation planner.  His phone number is  957-7336 ext.
23.  Mr. Anderson's email adress is
chassem.anderson at durhamnc.gov.  A second DATA planner is
Pierre Owusum.  His number is 957-7336.  (I am not sure
what his extension is.)  When writing DATA staff I would
recomend that you copy the DATA Board of Trustees members
(see below.)  The Board is scueduled to make its
recomendations at its meeting on Wednesday Februrary 1.

Contact information for the DATA Board of Trustees:  
 
Gammage, Baldwin H.
602 Red Carriage Avenue
Durham,  NC 27704
Phone: 919.471.1972
E-Mail: bgammage06 at msn.com
 
Gregory, Rita, Secretary
1332 New Castle Road, Apt. B-1
Durham,  NC 27704
Phone: 919.477.8183
E-Mail: anoint72dur at aol.com
 
Hannah, Patrick, Chair
217 Bassett Hall Drive
Durham,  NC 27713
Phone: 919.423.1023
E-Mail: hannahllc at msn.com
 
Harder, Christopher
4211 Settlement Drive
Durham,  NC 27713
Phone: 919.489.0237
E-Mail: hardercc at yahoo.com
 
Sanchez, Jesus, Vice Chair
1322 Seaton Road
Durham,  NC 27713
Phone: 919.544.5144
E-Mail: jsanchez at nc.rr.com
 
Snipes, Carl T.
3109 Oxford Drive
Durham,  NC 27707
Phone: 919.490.6210
E-Mail: snipesct at earthlink.net
 
Tuckett, L. E.
2107 Stuart Drive
Durham,  NC 27707
Phone: 919.419.1715
E-Mail: letuckett at aol.com
 
Williams, Johnsie
2429 Mozelle Street
Durham,  NC 27701
Phone: 919.598.6558
 
Wilson, Michelle
911 Lancaster St., Apt 2
Durham,  NC 27701
Phone: 919.286.2830

It is also important to contact Durham City Council
members.  One email can be sent to the entire city council
by writing: <council at ci.durham.nc.us>
 
Or city council members and the mayor may be contacted
individually.  City Council members and Mayor direct phone
numbers: 

Cora Cole-McFadden (Ward 1) 
ccole-mcfadden at ci.durham.nc.us
560-4396 ext. 277   

Bill Bell (Mayor)
bbell at ci.durham.nc.us
560-4333 (city hall) 

Howard Clement, III (Ward 2)
hclement at ci.durham.nc.us 
682-5211

Thomas Stith, III (At Large)
tstith at ci.durham.nc.us
834-2099

Eugene Brown (At Large) 
ebrown at ci.durham.nc.us
688-9314

Mike Woodward (Ward 3)
Mike.Woodard at durhamnc.gov
668-0817

Diane Catotti (At Large)
dcatotti at ci.durham.nc.us
560-4396 ext. 278 (city hall)

Attend the DATA Board of Trustees meeting Wednesday
February 1.

Laura Drey