INC NEWS - [Fwd: [TRTC-news] American Tobacco Trail Petition Update]

[janet.hitti at verizon.net]

Hi All INC People,

Just received this news from Bus Bussey of the TRTC.

Many of you have been wondering about the Ped. Bridge over I40 
well here is some good news. It will be awhile yet before it is built. 

Read on
Janet


>From: Bill Bussey <billbus at gte.net>
>Date: 2006/10/13 Fri PM 01:28:02 CDT
>To: American Tobacco Trail News <trtc-news at rtpnet.org>
>Subject: [TRTC-news] American Tobacco Trail Petition Update

>Hi Friends of the American Tobacco Trail,
>
>As some of you may know Dan Clever and I presented the petition Requesting Durham CityCouncil and City Staff Move Forward with the Design and Construction ofthe I-40 Bridge and Final Phase of the ATT in Durham, to the DurhamCityCouncil at their workday on October 5. 
>
>Dan did a great job in thepresentation. Thanks to everyone's support there were over2700 names and comments on the petition. And Council membershave themall! 
>
>Councilman Eugene Brown said "It is time to move beyond rhetoricand get to work!"  Immediately after the presentation, Durham CityManager Patrick Baker offered to meet with us on October 12. 
>
>Yesterday, October 12, Dan Clever and I met with DurhamAssistant City ManagerTheodore Voorhees and Public Works Director Kathryn Kalb at the CityManager's office. In the update, they said that Durham was awaitingfunding amount approval from the North Carolina Board ofTransportation. Once that amount is finalized and formalized, Durhamwill submit a revised Municipal Agreement and a professional designservices contract to NCDOT for their approval. Durham anticipates thatthese two items may be in place before the end of the calendar year.
>
>Cross your fingers!
>
>After the NCDOT approves the Municipal Agreement, Durham can hire thedesign contractor, which at this point will be Parsons Brinkerhoff.Durham is currently negotiating with PB now under the presumption thatthe funds will be approved by NCDOT.
>
>This is progress that would not have been possible without allof your support. According to the memo from Engineering ManagerLee Murphy, (below) the ATT project was transferred from GeneralServices andParks and Recreation to the Public Works Department in July 2006 AFTERourJune 9, 2006 letter to the City Manager and others were mailed andafter thepetition was started. 
>
>Our meeting yesterday with Mr. Voorhees and Ms.Kalb and arranged by Mr. Baker, was not offered or set up until AFTERthe petitionwith over 2700 names was delivered last week.  
>
>I think you will agree with Dan and me that the letter and petitionhave had a major effect and are largely responsible for getting thecityto quit stalling and move on the ATT. Thank You! 
>
>We plan on leaving the petition up for awhile so folks can still signand make comments on it. It will be valuable to decision makers in thecoming weeks and months ahead. We'll keep reminding staff and electedofficials of it!  
>
>If you haven't been there yet, please visit it at http://www.petitiononline.com/att2/ or at www.triangletrails.org
>
>So you can see for yourselves, transcribed here is the memo/report thatDan and I were handed by Ms. Kalb when the meeting started. I think theYesterday paragraph above summarizes this memo/report, but youmay be able to glean more if you like. 
>
>Date: October 5, 2006
>To: Patrick W. Baker, City Manager
>Through: Theodore L. Voorhees, Assistant City Manager
>                Kathryn R. Kalb, Director of Public Works
>From:      R. Lee Murpy, Engineering Manager
>Subject: Agenda Item 25 - American Tobacco Trail TriangleRails-to-Trails Conservancy
>
>The ATT Project was transferred from General Services/Parks andRecreation to Public Works in July of 2006. Since that time we have hadlocal action by the TAC to acquire adequate funding and that funding isawaiting approval from the NC Board of Transportation.
>
>At the same time we are working concurrently to obtain the requiredMunicipal Agreement from the NCDOT and the Professional Servicescontract necessary to begin design. We anticipate that these two itemsmay be in place once funding is secured toward the end of the calendaryear.
>
>Once the design process starts there will be public meetings open toall to receive comment. Updates are provided monthly on the City CIPwebsite. Because of the Federal funds involved there are numerousandstringent procedures to follow. If not followed properly the City willnot be reimbursed. These procedures tend to control the speed of theprocess.
>
>END
>
>In any event, thank you for all of your support for the ATT on thispetition and over the years. Thanks to you, the American Tobacco Trailis well on the way to being the Treasure of the Triangle.
>
>Please let us if you have any questions and how we can be of service.
>
>Please feel free to post this to interested lists and groups.
>
>Happy Trails,
>
>Bill Bussey
>President
>Triangle Rails-to-Trails Conservancy
>www.triangletrails.org
>919 545-9104
>
>
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