GDOT Annual Report 2019

D I R E C T O R ’ S C O R N E R

Another important moment this year was on May 21, when City Council unanimously adopted the Vision Zero Greensboro Two-Year Action Plan. The plan was developed with the help of community stakeholders, City departments, and public health agencies. The plan sets a course of action through increased and improved trafc enforcement, public education, as well as improvements to the public transportation infrastructure. Coming of an all-time high of 42 fatal crashes in 2017, we must be more assertive in our eforts to improve trafc safety. We need to take bold actions such as automated enforcement with zero tolerance, tougher “distracted driving” laws, and the infrastructure improvements to our multi-modal transportation system. What is an acceptable fatal crash rate in Greensboro? In our own families? We think it’s zero. The Greensboro Transit Agency (GTA) also completed its long-range Mobility Greensboro 2040 master plan last year. It is in the process of implementing the cost neutral recommendations in the plan.

Those include changes to all 15 fxed routes to make them more efcient and efective and a new Randleman Road route which will address over-crowding issues along that corridor. Long- range plans call for doubling the amount of transit services in Greensboro by 2040 with more frequent 15-minute headways, new cross town connector routes, as well as mobility hubs where micro-transit and other transportation options may serve areas outside our core zones. I’m also happy to report GDOT took several steps towards sustainable transportation in North Carolina this past year. On January 31, Greensboro became the frst bus system in North Carolina to operate all-battery electric buses. We are currently operating 13 electric buses and will have 16 in service by the end of the year. That will make our feet the second largest electric bus feet on the east coast behind Philadelphia. Public-private partnerships with the US Department of Transportation, North Carolina Department of Transportation, Duke Energy, and Proterra enabled Greensboro to lead the way on electric bus deployment and other renewable energy projects. GDOT and GTA installed solar panels at the Depot to of-set electric bus charging costs, are pursuing a new solar-powered electric vehicle charging stations, and planning to place solar panels and electric vehicle charging stations at our new parking decks. The following annual report provides a brief overview of the numerous and various transportation initiatives which were advanced this last year. I am extremely grateful to the more than 250 full-time and contracted GDOT employees who make improvements to our transportation system each and every day.

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GREENSBORO TRANSPORTATION

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