Plans for both Union Station and Moore Square Station are underway, but City Council members wanted to be more involved in the master planning process than what was outlined by transportation staff this week.
The city is getting ready to renovate the Moore Square bus station and develop a new multimodal transit station in the downtown Warehouse District.
Help with the planning will come from Parsons Brinckerhoff, Inc., which will be contracted by the city for about $875,000.
The overall transit project includes two phases, one for Union Station and the other for improvements to Moore Square Station.
Union Station, when completed, will house Raleigh’s local and regional bus system, Amtrak, Greyhound and commuter and high-speed rail. The first phase of the project would include finding out if it’s feasible to move the bulk of city bus services from Moore Square Station to Union Station and what that realignment would look like.
Multiple sites for the bus facility will also be considered and, with that, the economic development opportunities that could result. Those following the project will also see a more detailed design.
The second phase would focus on the aesthetic and operational pedestrian improvements at the Moore Square Station.
The contract and the project were discussed in last week’s Budget and Economic Development Committee meeting. According to the minutes, Councilor Russ
Stephenson said that as the plan is structured, the City Council doesn’t give any official input until the very end of the study when many of the decisions have been made.
The scope of work will include more structured input and approvals from the City Council.
Roosters Avoid Ban
After what seemed to be a lively Law and Public Safety Committee meeting, City Councilors voted to continue allowing roosters to reside in Raleigh, but give animal control and police officers more information to help neighbors work out noise problems.
Contrary to popular belief, roosters are legal in Raleigh. Some Councilors, including John Odom and Thomas Crowder, said they have received some complaints from residents about neighborhood roosters.
According to the committee meeting minutes, after speaking with city staff and some rooster owners, one of which soundproofed her coop, committee members decided that this is a problem that can be worked out between neighbors with little city involvement.
If there are repeated complaints, city officials can use the public nuisance law to take action against the offending bird.
South Wilmington Street Service Road Repaving
The South Wilmington Street service road will finally get a facelift after being annexed into the city 30 years ago.
Called one of Raleigh’s orphan streets, it was annexed into the city, but never became a city-maintained street. Public works staff wants to add the street to its list of city-maintained roads and repair and resurface it.
The total cost of the resurfacing is about $90,000 with the city only paying about $24,000 for the portion next to the Wilmington Street right-of-way. The remaining cost would be paid for by property owners along the street.
A public hearing will take place May 7 before the Council will make any decisions.
