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32 <br /> The Durham Bus and Rail Investment Plan <br /> I. INTRODUCTION <br /> The Durham community has achieved an enviable quality of life at the end of the first decade <br /> of the 21st century. Recent accolades include its ranking as the best mid-sized city for jobs in <br /> the US by Forbes magazine, as the#1 housing market in the US by the Wall Street Journal, as <br /> one of the top places in the world to visit in 2011 by the New York Times and the #2 "green <br /> city" for lifestyle and quality of life by Country Home magazine. <br /> The Triangle region has also enjoyed a diverse, growing economy and attractive quality of life <br /> for a number of years, topping many best places to live and best places to work lists. With <br /> these successes has come a surging growth in population and demand upon our roads and <br /> highways. Since 2004, the Triangle has moved from 46th largest metro area to 40th in the US <br /> for 2009, and our vehicle demand on freeways is up by 28% over those five years. Recently, <br /> our region was named the 3rd most sprawling urban area in the country among the 83 areas <br /> studied. <br /> In its 2009 long-range (2035) report, the Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Metropolitan Planning <br /> Organization (DCHC MPO) noted that the region's population would more than double over <br /> the 25-year period. For the last two decades, the demand on our roads has grown <br /> significantly faster than our population. Even with planned highway improvements and likely <br /> additional revenues for new roads, it is clear that Durham and the region will see declining <br /> levels of service on major roads in the next 25 years. <br /> The economic costs for our increasingly congested roads are significant. In its 2010 Mobility <br /> report, the Texas Transportation Institute estimated that our region has "congestion costs" of <br /> almost one-half billion dollars a year. A May 10, 2011 study cited in Forbes magazine found <br /> that the Triangle region was ranked "America's Biggest Gas Guzzler." Finally, it will be difficult <br /> to impossible for many of Durham's low to moderate income families to afford to get to new <br /> jobs and take advantage of the region's prosperity unless enhanced transportation options <br /> are created. <br /> Durham residents and its regional neighbors are aware of the growth in clogged roads, as well <br /> as the accompanying air quality problems, negative economic impacts and the loss of the <br /> quality of life we enjoy if these transportation challenges are not met. Local citizens and <br /> elected leaders have responded to these challenges, with some assistance from state <br /> government, as described below. <br /> Page 13 <br />