After presenting plan H-3 to the Raleigh City Council last week, City Planner Mitchell Silver met with the Hillsborough Street Partnership Wednesday night to discuss the most recent changes and hear the partnership’s opinions.

Silver will go before the council again Tuesday, and he will be presenting budget issues and showing approval on the plan by the Department of Transportation.

The partnership had originally wanted Plan A to come before Plan B — the first version of H-3 according to Mitch Danforth, a member of the partnership and a senior in civil engineering. But the presentation helped change the minds of people like Danforth, as H-3 includes streetscape improvements along Hillsborough.

“I thought the University was going to lose out, but as he explained it I got pretty excited,” Danforth said. “It still includes streetscape improvements all the way to Brooks Avenue, and they’re still going to redo the street furniture and lighting.”

A member of the DOT appeared at the meeting, according to Silver, and gave the approval to proceed with the updated plan.

George Chapman, chair of the partnership, said the council wanted Plan B first because of its impact on private businesses.

“It does require more University and private property,” Chapman said. “But now there seems to be more willingness from the private owners if the city could tweak the design a bit to have less of an impact on them.”

Members of the council were against Plan A, primarily because of the lack of on-street parking it provided, according to Chapman.

Included in the newest version of the Silver’s plan is a median separating the two sides of the road, as well as a roundabout at Horne Street. Chapman said the members of the partnership seemed generally accepting of the proposals.

“I didn’t take any votes, but the group seemed supportive as long as it included both roundabouts and streetscape improvements,” he said. “The big concern is money.”

At last week’s City Council meeting, Mayor Charles Meeker asked Silver for the cost of the project as well as approval from the DOT.

“The mayor wants cost estimates for Plan A and H-3, as well as the safety advantages of each,” Silver said. “He also asked whether or not the NCDOT would accept the plan, and we found out [at the meeting] they would.”

According to Chapman, if the plan costs upwards of 6 or 7 million, then the Council will have to find ways to bridge a gap.

“Three years ago, voters approved 3 million for Hillsborough Street improvements,” he said. “Another bond had 2 million for other pedestrian improvements around the city, so the council could decide to use that.”

There are also possible state funds that could be put into the project, as well as general road upkeep funds for the city.

“Hopefully they will have info on the dollars and whether there are ways of closing the gap,” Chapman said.