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1 <br /> ORANGE COUNTY <br /> BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br /> ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br /> Meeting Date: December 12, 2017 <br /> Action Agenda <br /> Item No. 6-e <br /> SUBJECT: Consideration of Approval of Additional Station for the Durham-Orange Light <br /> Rail Transit Project at Blackwell and Mangum Streets in Downtown Durham <br /> DEPARTMENT: Manager <br /> ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: <br /> GoTriangle Memorandum on Blackwell/Mangum Matthew Clark, GoTriangle Government <br /> Station Addition Affairs Manager, 919-270-7858 <br /> PURPOSE: To consider approving an additional station for the Durham-Orange Light Rail <br /> Transit Project at Blackwell and Mangum Streets in downtown Durham. The Orange County <br /> Transit Plan requires the Board of Commissioners to approve the addition or elimination of any <br /> stations in the proposed system plan. This addition cannot increase the total cost of the project <br /> and must be accommodated within the current budget. <br /> BACKGROUND: At the Board's November 20, 2017 regular meeting, GoTriangle staff <br /> introduced two potential station changes to the Durham-Orange Light Rail Transit Project. The <br /> first proposed change would shift the Gateway station to the west in order to promote more <br /> economic development opportunities, particularly in Orange County. The Orange County <br /> Transit Plan contemplated this change. A change in the location of a station requires <br /> consultation with the Board of Commissioners, but it does not require action. <br /> The second proposed station change was the addition of a station at Blackwell and Mangum <br /> Streets in downtown Durham. The Orange County Transit Plan requires that the addition or <br /> elimination of any station must be approved by the Orange County Board of Commissioners, <br /> Durham County Board of Commissioners, and DCHC MPO Policy Board, and the GoTriangle <br /> Board. The Durham County Board of Commissioners will consider the item on December 11th <br /> and both the MPO Policy Board and the GoTriangle Board will consider the addition on <br /> December 13th <br /> GoTriangle staff has supplied the attached memorandum to provide additional information on <br /> the proposed Blackwell/Mangum station. The station is intended to improve access to the <br /> Durham Performing Arts Center (DPAC), Durham Bulls Athletic Park, and other downtown <br /> Durham attractions. <br /> The Blackwell/Mangum station was not originally included in the project because it was not <br /> technically feasible given the three car platform length featured in the original design. As part of <br /> the engineering process, GoTriangle revisited the three car platform concept and has reduced <br /> the platform size to a two car platform. The shortened platform length represents a cost <br />