Title
Proposed D-O LRT Project Changes (20 minutes)
Danny Rogers, GoTriangle
Narrative
In the updates to the Durham County Transit Plan and Orange County Transit Plan approved in April 2017, all parties agreed that any additions or deletions of stations along the Durham-Orange Light Rail Transit (D-O LRT) Project would be subject to the approval of both county governing boards, the DCHC MPO Board, and the GoTriangle Board of Trustees (Durham County Transit Plan § 4.4.4.1, Orange County Transit Plan § 4.6.4.1). GoTriangle is requesting two actions from the DCHC MPO Board: 1) approval for a new station between Blackwell and Mangum streets in Durham, and 2) approval of proposed changes to the location of the Gateway station in Chapel Hill.
In their comments on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS), both the City of Durham and the Durham County Board of Commissioners requested that GoTriangle carefully evaluate the feasibility of a City Center Station between Blackwell and Mangum streets along Pettigrew Street during the project’s Engineering Phase. In response to these comments, in the Combined Final Environmental Impact Statement Record of Decision (FEIS/ROD), GoTriangle committed to continuing its work with Durham to evaluate the feasibility of a City Center Station during the Engineering Phase. With a reduction in platform length made possible by a move to two-car platforms, GoTriangle determined that a station platform could feasibly fit between Blackwell and Mangum Streets and without resulting in a potential impact to the historic Bull Durham building.
The purpose of the proposed Blackwell/Mangum Street Station is to offer more direct access to the city center of downtown Durham and event-based destinations in and around the American Tobacco campus, including the Durham Performing Arts Center and Durham Bulls Athletic Park
The cost estimate for the proposed additional station between Blackwell and Mangum streets is approximately $2.5 million in Year of Expenditure (YOE) dollars more than the baseline design. As part of FTA-required cost management practices, changes to the base cost estimate (both savings and increases) associated with changes in the project design are tracked throughout Engineering and considered together. Although the overall project budget is set at entry into Engineering at $2.476 billion, it is typical to shift expenditures between FTA cost categories to meet the needs of the project. In other words, savings in one area can cover additional expenditures in another area. This allows the agency and the project team to use the final design process to better align spending with goals and values.
In addition to the additional station in downtown Durham, GoTriangle is requesting a proposed change to the location of the Gateway station in Chapel Hill. As shown in the attachment, the proposed station location would move the station approximately 600 feet, away from I-40 and closer to the Orange County border.
GoTriangle is recommending this change for the following reasons:
• As part of GoTriangle’s Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) grant, GoTriangle held meetings with stakeholders to better understand the optimal development potential in the area around the transit stations.
• It was determined that the existing Gateway Station location did not maximize the potential economic development opportunities for both Durham and Orange Counties. Quantitative analysis of the development potential is included in the attached memo from the TOD Consultant team.
• As a result of this process, it was recommended to shift the station and the light rail alignment to improve the overall opportunities for Durham and Orange counties.
The change would bring about the following benefits:
• The new location would increase potential economic development benefits.
• The new site layout is more conducive to urban redevelopment.
The cost estimate for the proposed change is approximately $8 million (YOE) more than the baseline design. This is primarily due to a longer track alignment, additional required site and roadway construction, and additional real estate acquisition.
While moving the location of the Gateway Station does not require approval from the MPO Board, GoTriangle welcomes input from the DCHC MPO Board on the proposed new station location.
Following the required approval of any changes, GoTriangle staff will submit an environmental re-evaluation to the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to compare the environmental effects of the proposed refinement to the effects previously disclosed in the DEIS and determine if the commitments outlined in the Amended Record of Decision mitigate the effects. FTA will then determine if additional environmental documentation is needed or if the existing environmental documentation is sufficient.
Recommendation
TC Action: The TC recommended that the MPO Board approve the addition of a station in the Durham-Orange Light Rail Transit (D-O LRT Project) between Blackwell and Mangum Streets along Pettigrew Street in downtown Durham.
Board Action
Board Action: Approve the addition of the Blackwell/Mangum Street Station. Provide input on the proposed modified location of the Gateway Station.