Community Connection and Understanding the Area

This phase involves working with the community to talk about the goals of the project and set up the best ways to communicate. It also involves gathering data about housing, pedestrian safety issues, and other key topics. It will lead to the main phase of the study, which will involve developing plans for each station area.

We started this process by hearing from you on the most important issues to tackle. We heard that walkability and pedestrian safety is critical, and that thinking about places to live, work, and shop near BRT – and working to address affordability – are key topics.

Why Do We Need a Station Area Plans for New Bern Avenue?

Area plans are an important part of how the city adapts to change and addresses key issues, such as housing affordability, walkability, and reducing carbon emissions. To learn more about area planning visit the info page.

This process will take the broader goals of the Equitable Development Around Transit plan and tailor them to the New Bern Avenue corridor. The process will include these steps:

1. Study the current conditions of the area. This includes research on housing costs, identifying areas that are challenging to pedestrians, and neighborhoods that have easy access to jobs and shopping.
2. Understand how area residents, businesses, and institutions would like for their neighborhoods to make the best use of BRT and address other issues.
3. Develop Strategies to help residents of all income levels afford to live in the area, make it safer to walk, and look to identify other goals.
4. Create a Plan for each station area that includes zoning changes, new programs, and funding sources to make the plan a reality.