Imagine having to get from Chapel Hill to Clayton, and never have to worry about having enough gas.

Triangle Transit is looking at a plan to implement a rail system that would connect all major towns and cities in a three-county area.

For some, the plan can't come to fruition soon enough.

Shannon Walker has a unique commute from her home in Cary to her job in Chapel Hill: she walks a mile to the train station, transfers to two different buses and walks another mile -- each way.

"I left work at 5 one day last week, and got home at 7:30," said Walker. "So yeah, it's not always incredibly pleasant."

She said she relies on public transit because of a vision condition that prevents her from driving.

"It's not merely a choice; it's the only way that I can get to work," said Walker.

She was one of about 30 people who turned out Monday to support the Triangle Transit's plans for a 51-mile, $2.5-billion lightrail and bus system snaking through Wake, Durham and Orange Counties.

Proponents point towards the success of Charlotte's rail lines, but not everyone wants to see more.

Opponents of the plan include "slow growth" groups like DavisAndHighHouse.org, which doesn't want to encourage more development and says it's simply too expensive.

"Asking us to pay another half-cent tax and a $3 to $10 increase in our car registration to pay for something we don't want -- that's like asking somebody to pay you to kick them in the shins," said Karl Thor, speaking for the group Monday night.

Triangle Transit officials say there will be an estimated 1.5 million new residents moving to the Triangle in the next 30 years, so commutes will get a lot worse if nothing's done now.

"It's tough to get people to focus ahead," said Triangle Transit General Manager David King. "And that's the challenge we've all got."

Triangle Transit needs several things to happen before the plans can even start going into effect; first, they need help from the General Assembly, which would have to approve putting the issue on a ballot in the three counties.

Then, of course, they'd need voter support, which is far from a slam dunk in the current economy.

Proponents are hoping the economy turns up and they can put it on the ballot next year.

Regardless if voters ever approve any sort of tax to pay for light-rail or not, Triangle Transit is already in the process of expanding its bus service, with the next round of improvements rolling out around Labor Day.

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Keep up with the stories Chris Cowperthwaite is working on every day: http://twitter.com/CCowperthwaite.