What’s Next for Regional Transit?

Last week the Durham Orange Rail project hit a series of setbacks which led GoTriangle Board spokesperson Sig Hutchinson to liken the rail project to a “broken puzzle”.

On Tuesday, the FTA told GoTriangle to increase their budget by $237 million.

The next day, Duke University and NC and Southern RR companies sent letters declining to sign cooperative agreements for the project.
Duke letter to GoTriangle;

NC RR letter to GoTriangle

Over the past few years, the DOLRT project could have been likened to “The Little Engine that Could”; however, it appears unlikely that DOLRT can overcome the many problems ahead and chug over the mountain. The inspirational story, “I think I can, I think I can” inspired us as children.  But given the engineering problems, exorbitant costs, we need to pull together as a community and move on to pursue a different public transit approach that will serve more people.

WRAL news reported the story earlier this week, including a draft copy of the FTA consultant’s Risk Analysis.

We can gather from the draft Risk Assessment report that the cost news won’t be better in the coming weeks:

• To cover new costs associated with changes to downtown Durham and other risks, the FTA has asked GoTriangle to add $237 million to the budget;
• The FTA will require an additional 10% contingency that increase the total project cost to over #3.3 billion;
• Recent major changes, including Downtown Durham tunnel solution is only at 20% engineering; that means final costs could be much higher.
• Further cost-cutting may be done to make the numbers work.  Reducing the trains to one railroad car; cutting Woodmont and Hamilton Road in Chapel Hill at the top of the list and other stations in Durham as well, snd ending the route at Alston Avenue, instead of Central (See Table 6, page 16)

In a second article, WRAL outlines the $130 million in costs incurred by the project thus far.

The GoTriangle Board of Trustees will hold a work session Wednesday to address these recent developments.

While many on the GoTriangle board have continued their strong support for the plan, an article by Geoff Durham, President of the Durham Chamber of Commerce, addresses in this article the rampantly rising costs of the DOLRT and urges elected leaders to make sure that the foundation of the community is on solid ground “for all taxpayers”.

In recent weeks, other problems have emerged, including: Inflation of revenue estimates for station areas, the fact that 70-80% of all new DOLRT riders will arrive at stations by vehicle, and a memo showing that Chapel Hill Transit faces capital and operating shortfalls.

With the cost approaching $4 billion, it is time for our elected representatives to drop the Durham Orange Light Rail portion of the transit plan and replace it with a regional plan that works for everyone.

Here’s our thoughts on where to start with a regional plan.

• Immediately move forward with Wake-Durham commuter rail, and extend plans to bring it to Hillsborough; Fund Hillsborough circulator;
• Design new services for high traffic areas in downtown Durham, 15- 501 and NC 54, including high frequency bus and BRT;
• Fund expansions to Chapel Hill Transit, including MLK, BRT which serves 4 of Chapel Hill’s six growth centers.  Explore options to expand service to Pittsboro/Chatham Park and Hillsborough with BRT.
• Fund expansion to demand services for senior sand disabled residents throughout the coiunty;
• Explore options to alleviate congestion on I-40.

Wake County has developed a highly effective planning process that keeps all stakeholders informed with plans and spending.  We will be asking Orange and Durham leaders to adopt a similar approach to help us move forward.