Research Triangle Park N.C. – The Triangle Transit Authority (TTA) has hired Garold Smith as its new Community Relations Manager. Smith joined TTA this month.

“Garold Smith brings a wealth of knowledge to TTA’s Regional Rail Transit Project,” said TTA General Manager John Claflin. His experience in rail, planning and public involvement will be an asset to the project.”

Smith comes to TTA from Colorado where he has served as a Transit Planner for Transfort/Dial-A-Ride in Fort Collins. Prior to his work at Transfort/Dial-A-Ride, Smith served as a community relations specialist and environmental planner in Colorado Springs, consultant and marketing manager in Richmond and as a Public Relations Specialist for the Regional Transportation District’s $116 million dollar light rail transportation/construction project in Denver.

Smith said, “TTA has an outstanding opportunity to provide rapid transit between Durham, RTP, Cary and Raleigh. I look forward to working with citizens, stakeholders and elected officials in seeing that our next steps go smoothly.”

Smith’s joins TTA as its Art in Transit program prepares to issue the “Call To Artists” this fall for artwork at the 12 rail stations. During his work for the RTD in Denver, he designed and managed a national public art competition called, “Art at the Stations,” including working with artists, consultants and the selection committee.

“The Art in Transit program will enhance the aesthetics of the Regional Rail stations,” Smith said. “Through our public involvement efforts, themes and ideas for the stations were identified. We now look forward to working with the artists to capture and convey the uniqueness of each community through the station art.”

TTA is a regional public transportation provider, offering a wide variety of transit and vanpool services to North Carolina's greater Triangle Region and outlying counties. Bus service is available to Apex, Cary, Chapel Hill, Durham, Garner, RDU International Airport, RTP and Raleigh. The Triangle Transit Authority also provides commuter resources and hosts GoTriangle.org, the new on-line resource for the public transportation information in the Triangle. TTA plans to implement a rail transit system with stations connecting Durham, RTP, Cary and Raleigh, with shuttles linking RDU International Airport and RTP. The rail transit system is expected to be operational in 2008. For more information, visit www.rideTTA.org or call (919) 549-9999.