Orange County NC Website
Browse       Search
157 <br /> loss of bike lanes by"work[ing] with the City of Durham,NCDOT, and local advocates to <br /> identify the potential for off-street [bicycle] facilities or on-street [bicycle] facilities on parallel <br /> or nearby roadways."7 <br /> At an approximate additional cost of$100 million, the NCCU Station Refinement <br /> represents around a 5.5% increase in cost of the D-O LRT project. By comparison, the <br /> percentage increase in light rail ridership with this modification will be more than a 16% <br /> increase8—nearly three times the relative increase in cost. The NCCU station refinement <br /> represents a smart transportation infrastructure investment in light of its low relative additional <br /> cost compared with its significant ridership benefits. <br /> II. GoTriangle Should Continue to Collaborate With Affected Communities to <br /> Mitigate Harmful Impacts <br /> We note that GoTriangle has worked diligently to connect with affected communities <br /> about potential impacts of the D-O LRT project as a whole, and about the NCCU Station <br /> Refinement in particular. Indeed, it was GoTriangle's genuine receptiveness to community <br /> feedback that ultimately led to the NCCU Station addition and route refinement. <br /> The NCCU Station Refinement stands to provide significant benefits in terms of access <br /> and connectivity for communities in the refinement area. The NCCU Station Refinement <br /> expands the D-O LRT corridor to include 400 additional zero-car households and an additional <br /> 800 individuals who are either under 18 or over 65.9 In other words, populations potentially in <br /> greater need of public transportation will be within the vicinity of the NCCU Station. <br /> Even as GoTriangle has already expended significant time and resources in community <br /> outreach, we encourage GoTriangle to stay the course and continue its public outreach and <br /> community collaboration. In order to continue to ensure community impacts are mitigated, this <br /> public outreach must be a continual, ongoing process throughout all stages of planning and <br /> construction of the D-O LRT project. <br /> As we mentioned in our past comments, we hope that GoTriangle will continue to do its <br /> part to ensure that affordable housing is available throughout the D-O LRT corridor, including <br /> the new extension with the NCCU Station Refinement. We also urge GoTriangle to engage in <br /> an equitable process for the acquisition of five businesses and 14 residential properties that <br /> would be relocated to complete the NCCU Station refinement.10 The statement that community <br /> adhesion impacts are not anticipated" should be supported by a relocation plan that embodies <br /> principles of environmental justice. Meeting environmental justice goals for ensuring public <br /> Id. at 3-9. <br /> 8Id. at Table 3-1. <br /> 9 Id. at Table 3-6. <br /> '°Id. at 3-15. <br /> "Id. <br /> 3 <br />