Agenda - 04-27-2017 - 1 - Consideration of the Final Draft Durham – Orange Light Rail Cost Sharing Agreement and Final Draft Orange County Transit Plan

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42 Orange County Transit Plan April 25, 2017 Figure 2.4-1: D-O LRT Project Map The original Plan set aside funding for the Orange County share Lagend of the Durham-Orange Light Rail Transit (D-O LRT) Project, which at that stage of planning was a 17-station alignment extending approximately 17 miles from UNC Hospitals in Chapel � T Hill to east Durham, near the intersection of Alston Avenue and NC 147. At that time, there remained several alignment and station options, including options to cross Little Creek and New Hope Creek; multiple station location options at Friday Center, , Meadowmont/Woodmont, and the Duke University and Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Centers; and several options Chapel Hill s3 _. for the rail operations and maintenance facility. Q Since adoption of the original Plan, GoTriangle conducted the environmental evaluation for the project, as required by the MFR m National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The D-O LRT Project was one of the first to complete its environmental analysis - - under new federal law, enacted in July 2012, which required transit agencies complete the analysis in two years. (NCRR), which owns the freight and intercity-rail tracks that also run through downtown Durham. GoTriangle began its NEPA analysis in February 2014. Following extensive study, GoTriangle and the FTA released a Draft During the DEIS public comment period, the public was invited Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for public comment in to attend two formal public information sessions and provide August 2015. The DEIS analyzed the project's impacts to the oral comments at two public hearings. GoTriangle accepted natural and human environment, and proposed the "NEPA written comments via regular mail, email, and telephone Preferred Alternative" including recommendations for the between August 28 and October 13, 2015. Following a review alignment, station, and rail operations and maintenance facility of the public comment, GoTriangle and the FTA issued a alternatives evaluated in the document. The NEPA Preferred combined Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) and Alternative also contained refined alignment and station Final Section 4(f) Determination/ Record of Decision (ROD) on locations through downtown Durham to accommodate future February 15, 2016. right-of-way needs of the North Carolina Railroad Company Final Page 18 of 65