Agenda - 12-12-2017 - 6-e - Consideration of Approval of Additional Station for the Durham-Orange Light Rail Transit Project at Blackwell and Mangum Streets in Downtown Durham

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Page 5 of 25 4 In their comments on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement(DEIS), both the City of Durham and the Durham County Board of Commissioners requested that GoTriangle carefully evaluate the feasibility of a City Center Station between Blackwell and Mangum Streets along Pettigrew Street during the project's Engineering Phase. In response to these comments, in the Combined FEIS/ROD, GoTriangle committed to continuing its work with Durham to evaluate the feasibility of a City Center Station during the Engineering Phase. With a reduction in platform length made possible by a move to two-car platforms, GoTriangle determined that a station platform could feasibly fit between Blackwell and Mangum Streets. As a result of reducing the platform length, the area between Blackwell and Mangum streets could accommodate a station platform without resulting in a potential impact on the Bull Durham building. The purpose of the proposed Blackwell/Mangum Street Station is to offer more direct access to the city center of downtown Durham and event-based destinations in and around the American Tobacco campus, including the Durham Performing Arts Center and Durham Bulls Athletic Park. If the four boards approve this refinement, GoTriangle staff will submit an environmental re- evaluation to the FTA to compare the environmental effects of the proposed refinement to the effects previously disclosed in the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) and determine if the commitments outlined in the Amended Record of Decision mitigate the effects. FTA will then determine if additional environmental documentation is needed (e.g., NCCU Supplemental Environmental Assessment) or if the existing environmental documentation is sufficient. Financial Impact The cost estimate for the proposed change is approximately $2.5 million Year of Expenditure (YOE) more than the baseline design. As part of FTA-required cost management practices, changes to the base cost estimate (both savings and increases) associated with changes in the project design are tracked throughout Engineering and considered together. Although the overall project budget is set at entry into Engineering at $2.476 billion, it is typical to shift expenditures between FTA cost categories to meet the needs of the project. In other words, savings in one area can cover additional expenditures in another area.This allows the agency and the project team to use the final design process to better align spending with goals and values. Attachments • Map showing the proposed location for the Blackwell/Mangum Street Station. Staff Contact • Danny Rogers, 919-485-7579, e r; g !r` C° g; l;pia!r,igl! ; !rg, /rrr WW 114111111,1111I111111111111111111111I1d1111111111111111111111111111111I1111111111,11,11,111,1,11,111 , j , ,