Agenda - 03-12-2019 Item 2 - Durham-Orange Light Rail Project Update

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1 ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: March 12, 2019 Action Agenda Item No. 2 SUBJECT: Durham-Orange Light Rail Project Update DEPARTMENT: County Manager's Office ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: Travis Myren, 919-245-2300 GoTriangle Presentation John Tallmadge, 919-485-7430 PURPOSE: To receive an update from GoTriangle on recent developments with the Durham- Orange Light Rail Project. The update will not include proposed changes to the Interlocal Cost Sharing Agreement or the Orange County Transit Plan as project financing and feasibility conditions evolve. Any proposed changes will be presented and considered by the Board at future meetings. BACKGROUND: On April 27, 2017, the Board of Orange County Commissioners adopted the Interlocal Cost Sharing Agreement for the Durham-Orange Light Rail Transit Project as well as the Orange County Transit Plan. These agreements allowed GoTriangle to provide updated financial information to the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) in support of GoTriangle's application to enter the engineering phase of the Durham-Orange Light Rail Project. On July 28, 2017, GoTriangle received approval from the FTA to enter the New Starts Engineering phase of the Capital Investment Grant Program. Since the adoption of these agreements, several new developments will require changes to the Interlocal Cost Sharing Agreement between Orange County, Durham County, and GoTriangle as well as to the Orange County Transit Plan. This presentation is intended to describe the changes that have occurred. Any proposed amendments to the Interlocal Cost Sharing Agreement and/or the Orange County Transit Plan will be presented and considered at future meetings of the Board of Orange County Commissioners. The presentation from GoTriangle will offer the most recent information regarding: • Negotiations with Duke University to participate in a Cooperative Agreement and contribute land to accommodate the light rail alignment; • Negotiations with the North Carolina Railroad on a lease agreement and other considerations to accommodate the light rail alignment;