Wake County commissioners are moving forward with an effort to assess the county's transit needs. Members unanimously voted this week to bring in experts from outside the county to look at a current plan to improve transportation.
Those ideas include expanding local and commuter bus service and building a commuter rail system from Garner to Durham. The plan would cost Wake County more than half a billion dollars. David Cooke serves as county manager and says experts will analyze transportation needs beyond just Wake County.
"You could say it's not just Wake County but it's Wake, Durham and Orange," Cooke says. "Durham and Orange have separate plans. Wake has a plan. They're supposed to be compatible with each other. So I think the idea of bringing in experts is not only how a city might do it but how does a region do it."
Cooke says three or four experts will be brought in. He says they will be paid by the county. Cooke says he hopes they will be chosen and can get started by the end of October.