Agenda - 01-04-1993 - VIII-E - Laserfiche WebLink

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)-Y_ 93 DEC 21 TRIANGLE TRANSIT AUTHORITY V I)) December 18, 1992 The Honorable Moses Carey, Chair Orange County Board of Commissioners • 344 Warren Way Chapel Hill. NC 27516 Re: Durham East-West Expressway Extension Bridges across the North Carolina Railroad Dear Chairperson Carey: At a regular meeting of the Triangle Transit Authority Board of Trustees, held on Thursday, December 17, 1992, the Board approved the attached resolution requesting that Durham East-West Expressway Extension bridges, crossing the North Carolina Railroad tracks, be redesigned to accommodate four (4) sets of railroad tracks. The roadway project will extend the Durham East-West Expressway from 1'5-5o1 to I-85. You are encouraged to join the Triangle Transit Authority in calling for this change in the design for this project. The primary issue to be addressed by this design change is to assure that the bridge design does not rule out future use of the existing corridor for both freight and passenger rail service. In particular, while corridors for future passenger rail service have not been studied yet, restricting the length of the bridges will preclude the extension of passenger rail service to Hillsborough and northern Orange County. If the corridor is to be used for future passenger rail service, more than one set of tracks as currently designed will need to be accommodated. In the opinion of the Triangle Transit Authority and the North Carolina Railroad future use of the corridor will require four sets of tracks. Currently, the North Carolina Railroad operates freight service on one set of tracks. Future freight and Amtrak use of the corridor will require two sets of tracks. Use of the corridor for future passenger rail service to Hillsborough and northern Orange County would require an additional two sets of tracks. In view of this possible need for four sets of tracks, it seems prudent to design bridge structures to accommodate them. It is our understanding that construction documents are complete on this project and that the Department of Transportation intends to solicit bids and proceed with the work in early 1993. The Triangle Transit Authority Board of Trustees therefore requests that Orange County adopt a resolution requesting redesign of the bridges for this project as soon as possible. Please contact me if you need additional information. Sincerely, • James M. Ritchey, Jr.r. • General Manager Copy: 4ohn Link, Orange County Manager Enclosure: Resolution, Memorandum from the Planning Committee & Plan Suite 206,50 Park Offices P.O.Box 13787,Research Triangle Park,NC 27709 (919)549-9999