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9 <br /> 3. Bus Rapid Transit (BRT)-Light Rail Transit (LRT) Discussion <br /> BACKGROUND: In 2010 and 2011 (adopted July 2011) an Alternatives Analysis (D-O AA) of <br /> the Durham Orange Transit Corridor was conducted by URS (now AECOM) consultants as part <br /> of the Triangle Regional Transit Program. An introductory excerpt from the 171 page study is <br /> below. The link for this information is http://ourtransitfuture.com/wpcontent/ <br /> uploads/2013/12/2.2.2a-00401-DO-Vol-l-Detailed-Def-July-ALL-DVD-READY.pdf. <br /> Triangle Transit has commissioned an Alternative Analysis (AA) to initiate fixed guideway <br /> transit service between Durham and Orange counties. The AA is a component of the Triangle <br /> Regional Transit Program, a comprehensive effort to study expanded bus and rail networks <br /> across Wake, Orange, and Durham counties. <br /> This report documents the analysis and findings of the Durham-Orange County Corridor <br /> (Durham-Orange Corridor)AA process. The AA is an outgrowth of the system-level <br /> Transitional Analysis that was completed in the fall of 2010 and that recommended the <br /> Durham-Orange Corridor as one of the region's priority high-capacity transit corridors to be <br /> advanced into the more detailed AA process. The AA evaluates and screens alternative <br /> alignments, modes, and station locations within the Durham-Orange Corridor and concludes <br /> with the selection of a recommended Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA). <br /> The AA process detailed in this report is consistent with the Federal Transit Administration's <br /> (FTA) New Starts guidelines that enable fixed-guideway projects to be eligible for federal <br /> funds. <br /> The purpose of an AA is to determine the best mode or technology (i.e. Bus Rapid Transit, <br /> Light Rail Transit, or Commuter Rail Transit) for the corridor based on goals of the local <br /> government. Table ES-1 entitled "Summary of Evaluation Results for LRT, BRT-High and BRT- <br /> Low Alternatives" is included as Attachment B. This table provides a high level summary of the <br /> capabilities and costs associated with the technologies that were evaluated. BRT-High <br /> represented a dedicated lane approach while BRT-Low represented more of a mixed traffic <br /> approach. <br /> Although this document was created in 2011, it represents the information that was available <br /> at that time to the policymakers involved in recommending the mode of transportation in the <br /> corridor and the alignment. Work has continued since 2011. One significant difference <br /> between the 2011 estimates and current estimates is that the estimated ridership on the LRT <br /> project has increased from approximately 12,000 in the 2011 study to over 24,000 in the most <br /> recent analysis. <br /> Wake County has gone through an extensive transit analysis and public outreach process in <br /> preparation for the County's 2016 transit referendum. Their alternatives analysis of a more <br /> dispersed transit region concluded that a mix of BRT, CRT, and bus service would best serve <br /> the needs of the County. <br /> In this presentation, GoTriangle has been asked to provide information on why BRT was not <br /> chosen as the appropriate technology for the Durham Orange Transit corridor and why it was <br /> chosen for application in Wake County. <br /> Patrick McDonough, GoTriangle Manager of Planning and Transit Oriented <br /> Development, made the following PowerPoint presentation: <br />