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20 <br /> Future Plan Finances <br /> Q: If the Durham-Orange Light Rail Transit(D-O LRT)project is built, how will train operations be <br /> paid for? <br /> A:The original financial plans for transit in Orange and Durham County had enough capacity to <br /> both build the light rail system and operate it in perpetuity while also continuing to operate the <br /> bus services expanded under the two plans. All these conditions were met while also paying any <br /> debt obligations incurred during the light rail construction period. <br /> Any revisions to the financial plan will be designed to have long-term outcomes like the original <br /> plan, which will allow bus and rail services to be operated in perpetuity. Additionally, the <br /> financial plan will maintain an operating reserve of at least 25%of projected annual operating <br /> expenses (3 months), which is a guideline established by the Federal Transit Administration. A <br /> group of project and community stakeholders, including the Mayor of Chapel Hill and a member <br /> of the Orange County Board of Commissioners, is working to come up with a financial plan that <br /> will fill the funding gap created by the reduced participation in D-O LRT funding by the state <br /> government. As this group completes its work this fall, GoTriangle will be able to provide more <br /> specific answers using revised dollar figures. <br /> 4 <br />