Transportation Plan - Town of Garner

As such, the Town of Garner should also pursue the location of a
potential stop in or near Garner, perhaps west of the existing downtown
core. Through the Transportation Plan development process, the
consultant team examined commuter rail services in other parts of the
country to make the best fit recommendation for services in Garner. It is
recommended that Garner pursue a downtown station in addition to the
Interstate 40 / US Highway 70 station. This is a common occurrence in
many of the existing commuter rail services in the United States that
serve two distinct markets within their services areas – commuters and
historical small town / suburban centers.
History has shown that towns that proactively plan for future transit
stations are almost universally granted those stations once service begins
as transit agencies are oftentimes searching for partnerships to help fund
and develop station locations. By proactively planning for a downtown
station (as identified in the Streetscape Design Plan) along with a parkand‐ride
station on its eastern boundaries, and incorporating appropriate
design and siting of stations and parking facilities, the Town of Garner can
help ensure the best combination of station types for its residents and
commuters who currently rely on the transportation system in and
around Garner to access employment in Raleigh and elsewhere in the
Triangle.
The Streetscape Design Plan for Garner Road and Main Street includes a
discussion on potential siting of a future commuter rail station. Once the
preferred location is selected through the Streetscape Plan or future
downtown redevelopment plans, the Town of Garner can implement
design and density standards to ensure the location is supportive of
transit once service is initiated. The Town may also identify parcels for
future acquisition that can serve as parking facilities, potentially for dual
use by downtown businesses and transit patrons. Other future transit
actions should consider:
• Work with Capital Area Transit
(CAT) and Triangle Transit to
identify end‐of‐trip needs.
Through consultation with CAT,
Triangle Transit, the Town of
Garner can identify end of trip
needs that can be pursued by
either local or federal funding
sources. These may include
transit shelters, benches or
common transfer locations. The
Big box stores are starting to adapt
to local land use ordinances that
require more transit and pedestrianfriendly
design
Chapter 4: Recommendations Page | 84