HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 11-15-2016 - 7-c - Durham-Orange Light Rail Transit Project - North Carolina Central University Extension 1
ORANGE COUNTY
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT
Meeting Date: November 15, 2016
Action Agenda
Item No. 7-c
SUBJECT: Durham-Orange Light Rail Transit Project - North Carolina Central University
Extension
DEPARTMENT: Planning and Inspections
ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: (919)
1. Memorandum — GoTriangle Request to DCHC- Bonnie Hammersley, Orange County
MPO to Amend 2040 MTP and D-O LRT LPA Manager, 245-2300
2. DCHC MPO Amendment #3 to 2040 MTP Patrick McDonough, GoTriangle, 485-
(Tracked changes in blue font) 7455
3. GoTriangle PowerPoint Presentation Craig Benedict, Planning Director,
245-2592
PURPOSE: To receive a presentation from GoTriangle on the Durham-Orange Light Rail
Transit extension to North Carolina Central University (NCCU) and on the related Durham-
Chapel Hill-Carrboro Metropolitan Planning Organization (DCHC MPO) process to amend its
Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA) and 2040 Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP) and to
consider endorsement or provide comments.
BACKGROUND: In February 2016, GoTriangle received a Combined Final Environmental
Impact Statement (FEIS)/Record of Decision (ROD) for the Durham-Orange Light Rail Transit
(D-O LRT) project from UNC Hospitals in Chapel Hill to Alston Avenue in Durham. In response
to comments received during that process, GoTriangle started to evaluate the option to extend
the project south on Alston Avenue to a station near North Carolina Central University (NCCU).
Preliminary engineering and ridership forecasts found the station to be feasible and capable of
generating high ridership. GoTriangle is currently studying the natural environment and
community impacts.
Recent guidance from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) indicates that the D-O LRT
project must enter the Final Design phase by February 2017. In order to meet this milestone,
allow the NCCU station to advance into the engineering phase along with the other parts of the
project, and ensure that the entire new alignment qualifies for the 50% Federal match, two
separate DCHC MPO actions must occur: 1) The extension needs to be included in its Locally
Preferred Alternative (LPA) and 2) The extension needs to be included in its 2040 Metropolitan
Transportation Plan (MTP). See Attachments 1 and 2.
City of Durham, Durham County, and DCHC MPO Board Actions — While the City and County
Boards do not have a role in approving the LPA or 2040 MTP amendments beyond their
representation on the MPO Board, GoTriangle requested their "endorsement" before MPO
Board consideration. The Durham City Council and Durham Board of County Commissioners,
on September 22, and on October 4, 2016, respectively, voted to recommend that the DCHC
MPO amend the LPA and 2040 MTP for the D-O LRT project. At its October 19 meeting, the
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MPO Board agreed to release the amendments for public comment to take place through
November 29. The MPO has scheduled a public hearing on November 9, 2016, 9AM, in the
Committee Room, located on the 2nd floor of Durham City Hall. A link to the amendment and
information on submitting comments and requesting printed copies can be found on the MPO
website at www.dchcmpo.org. Questions regarding the MPO process or submittal of public
comments can be directed to Andy Henry, andrew.henry @durhamnc.gov, (919) 560-4366,
extension 36419.
Orange County BOCC History - The BOCC received its last update on the D-O LRT project at
its April 14, 2015 meeting. Its last discussion, specific to the LPA for the project, occurred
February 14, 2012. Links to previous BOCC materials:
June 2, 2015 - http://bit.ly/2dTKt2O
February 14, 2012 - http://bit.ly/2eCIGSo
Orange County Bus and Rail Investment Plan (OCBRIP) Amendments — Discussions are
currently ongoing with a Staff Working Group to review and update the OCBRIP financial
assumptions and associated services. GoTriangle is also working with a Funding and
Community Collaborative to help identify revenue sources to close the state funding gap. The
OCBRIP amendments will need to be approved by the three parties (Orange County, DCHC
MPO, and GoTriangle) to the Interlocal Implementation Agreement. Amendments are
scheduled to be complete by April 2017. GoTriangle's annual report for Fiscal Year 2016 (July
1, 2015 — June 30, 2016), expected to be received in the Manager's Office early this November,
will also include some information on next steps.
FINANCIAL IMPACT: There is no cost associated in providing a BOCC recommendation to the
DCHC MPO Board to amend the definition of the Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA) and 2040
Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP).
However, implementation of the project with the 0.6 mile extension will have additional cost.
GoTriangle has provided a preliminary cost estimate of $80-$100 Million to extend the D-O LRT
project to NCCU. The Orange County, Durham County, and Research Triangle Regional Public
Transportation Authority (GoTriangle) Interlocal Agreement for Cost Sharing for LRT Rail Project
(2012, a.k.a. "Cost Sharing Agreement") was specific to the original 17.3 mile project.
SOCIAL JUSTICE IMPACT: The following Orange County Social Justice Goals are applicable
to this agenda item: Public Transportation provides opportunity for access to jobs and services
to many individuals.
• GOAL: FOSTER A COMMUNITY CULTURE THAT REJECTS OPPRESSION AND
INEQUITY
The fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race or color;
religious or philosophical beliefs; sex, gender or sexual orientation; national origin or
ethnic background; age; military service; disability; and familial, residential or economic
status.
• GOAL: ENSURE ECONOMIC SELF-SUFFICIENCY
The creation and preservation of infrastructure, policies, programs and funding necessary
for residents to provide shelter, food, clothing and medical care for themselves and their
dependents.
3
RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends the Board:
1. Receive the presentation;
2. Consider endorsement or provide comments on the Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro
Metropolitan Planning Organization amendments:
a. to the definition of its Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA) for the D-O LRT
project; and
b. to the 2040 Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP) for the D-O LRT project.
Attachment 1 4
MPO Board 10/19/2016
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MEMORANDUM r nne(1m all ponots of t Triangle
TO: Durham Chapel Hill-Carrboro MPO
FROM: GoTriangle
DATE: September 21, 2016
SUBJECT: Request to Amend DCHC-MPO 2040 MTP and D-O LRT LPA
Action Requested
Request that the Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Metropolitan Planning Organization
(DCHC-MPO) take the following actions:
• Amend the definition of the Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA) for the
Durham-Orange Light Rail Transit (D-O LRT) project to include a station
adjacent to North Carolina Central University(NCCU Station).
• Amend the 2040 Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP) to include the
amended LPA for the D-O LRT project.
Background and Purpose
In February 2016, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) signed the combined
Final Environmental Impact Statement/Record of Decision, completing the
requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act for the D-O LRT project.
During the environmental review of the project, members of the public, project
stakeholders, and elected officials identified a number of potential refinements to
the design of the project. GoTriangle committed to evaluate these proposals during
project Engineering. GoTriangle also committed to examine the feasibility of a
NCCU Station as part of the DCHC-MPO's 2045 MTP process.
In the spring and summer of 2016, GoTriangle completed preliminary engineering
and ridership forecasts for the NCCU Station in order to be prepared for work on
the 2045 MTP that the DCHC-MPO would be conducting in the summer and fall of
2016. These analyses indicate that the NCCU Station is technically feasible and
would generate very high ridership.
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MPO Board 10/19/2016
Based on recent direction from the FTA, the D-O LRT project must enter the New Starts
Engineering phase by February 2017. In order for the NCCU Station to advance into
Engineering with the rest of the D-O LRT Project and qualify for the 50% Federal match
for this project, two things must happen by December 2016: the LPA must be amended
to include the NCCU Station and the amended LPA must be included in the 2040 MTP.
Attachments
• Map of the recommended LPA, which includes the NCCU Station
Staff Contact(s)
• Danny Rogers, D-O LRT Project Director, GoTriangle, 919-485-7579
drogers@gotriangle.org
• Patrick McDonough, Manager of Planning and TOD, GoTriangle, 919-485-7455
pmcdonough @gotriangle.org
Page 2 of 3
6
Legend MPO Board 10/19/2016
Q Station
Q Park and Ride
R Rail Operations and Duke/VA Medical Centers
Maintenance Facility 751
LRT alignment
Aerial sections of LRT LaSalle Street Buchanan Boulevard
Ninth Street Durham Station Q
(as of September 2016)
Dillard Street Q
98
Alston Avenue Q
Durham Nccu
70
South Square Q 147
86
55
Martin Luther King Jr Parkway 0
86 Gateway Q Patterson Place Q
Chapel Hill
15
501 R Durham-Orang(&
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UNC Hospitals
54 Woodmont
Mason Farm Road Hamilton Road Friday Center Drive Q
0 1.5 3 A Pagqe 3 of 3
Miles NORTH Map Data by Esri,AECOM and others.Copyright 2016 GoTriangle.All rights reserved.Revised September 2016.
Deleted text = strikeout Attachment 2 MPO Board 10/19/216
Amendment#2 added text = red font Amendment#3 added text = blue font
Figure 7.2.1. Major Highway Projects by MPO and Time Period
Durham Chapel Hill-Carrboro MPO
2011-20 2021-30 2031-40
Triangle Expressway extension of the Managed lanes added to 1-40 from Managed lanes added to 1-40
Durham Freeway(1-40 to NC 540) Wade Avenue (Wake County)to NC from NC 147 (Durham Freeway)
147 (Durham Freeway) to US 15-501 (Durham County)
East End Connector completed linking 1-85 widening (1-40 to Lawrence Rd) 1-85 widening(Lawrence Rd to
US 70 to NC 147 (Durham Freeway) Durham County)
1-40 widening(US 15-501 to 1-85) 1-85 widening (US 70 to Red Mill US 15-501 freeway conversion
Road) (1-40 to US 15-501 bypass)
US 70 freeway conversion (Lynn Northern Durham Parkway
Road to Wake County line) (Aviation Pkwy to US 501)
Capital Area MPO
2011-20 2021-30 2031-40
1-40 widened from Wade Ave.to Lake 1-40 widened from 1-440 to NC 42 in NC 50 widened from 1-540 to
Wheeler Road Johnston County Dove Road
1-40 widening through Cary US 1 upgrade to freeway from 1-540 Managed lanes added to 1-540
to NC 98 (Northern Wake Expressway)
from 1-40 to US 64 bypass
US 401 widened from 1-540 to NC 540 completed as a toll road from US 401 widened from Garner to
Louisburg with a Rolesville bypass Holly Springs to US 64 bypass Fuquay-Varina
NC 540 completed as a toll road from 1-440 widened from Wade Avenue to Managed lanes added to 1-40
Apex to Holly Springs Crossroads from MPO boundary in Johnston
County to Cornwallis Road
Brier Creek&TW Alexander Drive NC 54 widened through Cary and US 1 widening south from US 64
Interchanges on US 70 Morrisville to NC 540
NC 42 widening from US 70 to Rocky 1-40 Managed lanes added from
Branch Road Durham County line to Cornwallis Rd.
7.3 Transit Services
Building on the prior work of a blue-ribbon Special Transit Advisory Committee (STAC) that completed its
work in 2008, a complete transit system for the region focuses on three critical elements, Bus, Rail, and
Circulators:
• BUS: A significant expansion of bus service throughout the Triangle, adding new routes to communities
presently without service, and improvements to headways at existing transit agencies
• RAIL: Rail transit connecting the region's principal activity centers in Chapel Hill, Durham, Research
Triangle Park, Cary and Raleigh
• CIRCULATORS: High-frequency, short-distance services linking nearby neighborhoods to major activity
centers and the region's high capacity bus and rail corridors
Research Triangle Region—2040 Metropolitan Transportation Plans Page 51
Page 1 of 3
MPO Board 10/19/216
While the STAC established the framework for the region's transit vision,the recommendations on how to
achieve this vision are being developed through the Triangle Regional Transit Programs composed of three
county-level transit investment plans and three analyses of alternative investments in the region's most
promising transit corridors. These s+*inter-related efforts-and their current status-are:
7. Locally eight
Preferred 1. Durham County Transit Plan (adopted)
Alternative -- 2. Orange County Transit Plan (adopted)
BRT (adopted 3. Wake County Transit Plan (under consideration)
by Chapel Hill 4. Wake-Durham Commuter Rail Service (recommended by Alternatives Analysis)
Town Council) 5. Durham-Orange Light Rail Service (adopted)
�6. Wake County Light Rail Service (recommended by Alternatives Analysis)
0
p�8. Amended Locally Preferred Alternative for the Durham-Orange Light Rail Transit
For details on the current status of each of these -efforts,visit: www.ourtransitfuture.com
land www.NSCStudy.org
These intensive planning efforts have led to Durham and Orange County voters approving%2 cent sales taxes
for expanded transit service; and the submittal by Triangle Transit of a "New Starts" application to the
Federal Transit Administration (FTA)for federal funding for a light rail line linking Chapel Hill and Durham.
four
Based on the three county-level transit investment plans and the - -- transit corridor alternatives analyses,
new light rail transit, commuter rail transit, and bus rapid transit investments are included in the 2040 Capital
Area MPO and Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro MPO Metropolitan Transportation Plans. Details on rail and BRT
technology and services are contained in Appendix 2.
Light rail transit provides the opportunity for frequent, all-day passenger rail service to serve transit oriented
development along growth corridors. With electric propulsion, light rail can save energy costs and operate
without dependence on foreign oil.
Commuter rail service operates in existing mainline rail corridors, serves stations that are further apart than
light rail transit, and emphasizes service during peak commuter hours, with the possibly of occasional mid-
day and evening service.
Bus Rapid Transit can offer service characteristics similar to light rail, depending on the design of the system.
Proposed rail and bus rapid transit investments are summarized in Figure 7.3.1. Figure 1.2 in the Executive
Summary displays a map of all the rail and bus transit services. The county-level transit plans and Alternatives
Analysis documents for the Durham-Orange County Corridor, Wake County Corridor, and Durham-Wake
County Corridor, khich are available through the MPOs and Triangle Transit, provide additional detail on the
investments anticipated by 204U7-land Chapel Hill North-South Transit Corridor Study
Figure 7.3.1 —Rail and BRT Projects by MTP Period(technical information in Appendix 2)
MTP
Rail or BRT Segment Type of Service Period
West Durham -Garner 'North Carolina Central University' Commuter Rail by 2030
UNC Hospital - Durham Alston Avcnuc Light Rail by 2030
Durham Alston Avenue - Briggs Avenue Light Rail by 2040
N. Raleigh (Millbrook) -Cary CBD via Raleigh CBD & NCSU Light Rail by 2030
Chapcl I lilt MLK Corridor Chapel Hill Eubanks Road to Bus Rapid Transit by 2030
Southern Village via UNC
Hospitals
Research Triangle Region—2040 Metropolitan Transportation Plans Page 52
Page 2 of 3
MPO Board 10/19/16
Appendices 2 and 3. Transit Services
The transit plans for the Triangle region are heavily informed by the Alternatives Analysis conducted
by Triangle Transit for three transit corridors (Wake, Durham-Orange and Durham-Wake) and the
Durham, Orange and Wake County transit financial plans that have been adopted by the Durham-
Chapel Hill-Carrboro MPO and the NC Capital Area MPO. Transit investments are envisioned to
create a seamless system composed of three critical elements: Bus, Rail, and Circulators:
• BUS: A significant expansion of bus service throughout the Triangle, adding new routes to
communities presently without service, and improvements to existing routes, including the
development of Bus Rapid Transit service along MLK Boulevard in Chapel Hill.
• RAIL: light rail transit connecting Chapel Hill with Durham and Cary with North Raleigh
through central Raleigh and the NC State campus; and commuter rail linking Durham with
Garner, Raleigh, Cary,Morrisville and the Research Triangle Park.
• CIRCULATORS: High-frequency, short-distance services linking major activity centers to
regional and intercity rail services.
The table below summarizes major investments involving dedicated transit guideways; these
projects plus bus routes are included in the tables in this appendix.
Major Transit Investments by MTP Period(see map in 2040 MTP document)
Investment Type of Service MTP Period
Downtown Cary to Raleigh Millbrook Light Rail 2021-2030
UNC Hospital to Durham Alston Avenue
North Carolina Central University Light Rail 2021-2030
Durham Alston Avenue to Briggs Avenue (extension) Light Rail 2031-2040
Durham(Duke Hospital)to Garner Commuter Rail 2021-2030
MLK Boulevard in Chapel Hill
Eubanks Rd to Southern Village via UNC Hospitals Bus Rapid Transit 2021-2030
The CTP transit projects are the same at the MTP projects except for the following additions:
• Light Rail Transit extension from UNC-CH through Carrboro to Eubanks Road;
• Regional Rail extension from west Durham through Hillsborough to Mebane; and,
• Additional Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) in Chapel Hill.
A full listing of all transit projects including the implementation year is in the table that follows.
Each row in the table is a separate transit route or service,by direction.The attribute information for
each project is presented in columns. Key attributes include:
Route Name—This name provides information to help identify the transit system,local route
identification information, and the destination points of the route. Each transit route typically has 2
directions (Eastbound/Northbound and Westbound/Southbound).
Mode—The type of service (e.g. light rail, commuter(regional)rail,local bus, express bus, shuttle
service).
Headway—the time between each bus or train on the route,both during peak commute periods and
"off-peak"periods during the mid-day and evening.
Start and Stop Years — Indicates the years in which the service will begin and end. In some cases, a
service may have a stop year that is before 2040 because it is replaced by a different type of service
Page 3 of 3
lAttachme
cJ Triangle
D - 0 LRT Projec .
NCCU Station Study
November 15, 2016
11
Background
• Combined FEIS/ROD for the D-0 LRT Project was
issued in February 2016
• GoTriangle committed to study several potential
refinements as the project advances
• Preliminary evaluation of the addition of an
NCCU station is underway
12
Initial Study Results
• Addition of the station and additional length of
light rail tracks is feasible from an engineering
standpoint
• Ridership at the proposed station would be high
13
Next Steps — by December
• In order to advance the potential addition of an
NCCU Station for further study in Engineering -
- The Locally Preferred Alternative ( LPA) for the D-0
LRT Project must be amended to include the NCCU
Station
— The 2040 MTP must be amended to include the
amended LPA
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Maintenance Facility 751
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Alston Avenue
Durham Ncc�
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86
56
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UNC Hospitals to
54 Woodmont
Mason Farm Road Hamilton Road Friday Center Drive 0
0 1.5 3
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