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16 <br /> 1 Many claims and counter claims about the DOLRT benefits and detriments are flying about. <br /> 2 What does the very substantial GoTriangle Environmental Impact Study (EIS) conclude about <br /> 3 the issues that are being debated? <br /> 4 <br /> 5 Enemy Use <br /> 6 The EIS estimates annual transportation energy use in the Triangle region, including cars and <br /> 7 all forms of public transit, both for the no build alternative (no light rail) and with light rail in <br /> 8 operation. Light rail is estimated to reduce annual transportation energy consumption by 83 <br /> 9 billion British Thermal Units. This sounds like a lot, but it is less than a one tenth of one percent <br /> 10 reduction. For such a long range and complex estimate, this is insignificant and meaningless. <br /> 11 The EIS also estimated indirect energy consumption, the amount of energy used to <br /> 12 manufacture materials and construct the light rail system. This indirect use amounts to 37 times <br /> 13 the estimated annual energy conservation. So if the EIS is correct, it will take 37 years for the <br /> 14 tiny annual energy savings to total the energy used for construction of the project. <br /> 15 <br /> 16 Air Quality <br /> 17 The light rail project will have over 40 at grade street crossings, which will leave cars stopped <br /> 18 and idling while the trains pass. There is a special federal requirement to estimate any increase <br /> 19 in carbon emissions, which could contribute to climate change. The EIS studied several <br /> 20 intersections and determined that carbon monoxide concentrations would not change at these <br /> 21 locations. <br /> 22 <br /> 23 Other than this one issue specific to several intersections, the EIS contains no data, <br /> 24 calculations, or modeling related to significant air quality parameters in the region or in the rail <br /> 25 corridor. The EIS provides no basis to claim that light rail will improve air quality. <br /> 26 <br /> 27 Traffic Congestion <br /> 28 The many at grade crossings will hold up traffic many times a day. The EIS studied a number of <br /> 29 intersections near the track to see how the level of service ratings would be affected. In a <br /> 30 number of cases the LOS goes down a grade or so, say from C to D. <br /> 31 <br /> 32 Beyond the limited issue of the effects of at grade crossings, however, the EIS does not <br /> 33 address what quantitative effect light rail will have on major regional roads. Would the light rail <br /> 34 project reduce congestion on 15-501 between Chapel Hill and Durham? This road would <br /> 35 presumably be the most likely to benefit. But the EIS provides no information to support <br /> 36 congestion relief on 15-501 or any other thoroughfare. <br /> 37 <br /> 38 Affordable Housing <br /> 39 The EIS addresses affordable housing under the topic of environmental justice. The conclusion <br /> 40 is: <br /> 41 <br /> 42 "Gentrification, and more specifically a reduction in affordable housing, is a potential effect of <br /> 43 the project because of likely upward pressure on land values and commercial rents that may <br /> 44 occur in station areas." <br /> 45 <br /> 46 Light rail will create a powerful economic force that threatens affordable housing near the <br /> 47 project route. To even partially overcome this force and assure some availability of affordable <br /> 48 housing will take strong, sustained, and expensive local government action. <br /> 49 <br /> 50 Alternatives Evaluated <br />