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30 <br /> VOTE: UNANIMOUS <br /> c. Consideration to Discontinue the Durham-Orange Light Rail Project <br /> The Board considered voting to discontinue the Durham-Orange Light Rail Project as <br /> recommended by the Go Triangle Board of Trustees. This action will satisfy the requirements of <br /> the Interlocal Cost Sharing Agreement for the Durham-Orange Light Rail Transit Project by <br /> formally discontinuing the project and beginning a process to reallocate funds that had been <br /> allocated to the light rail project through an amended Orange County Transit Plan. <br /> Travis Myren presented the information below: <br /> BACKGROUND: <br /> On March 27, 2019, the GoTriangle Board of Trustees voted unanimously to recommend that <br /> the cost-sharing partners in Durham and Orange counties and the Durham - Chapel Hill - <br /> Carrboro Metropolitan Planning Organization discontinue the light-rail project. <br /> According to a statement issued by GoTriangle (Attachment 2), the Federal Transit <br /> Administration informed GoTriangle leadership that due the continued uncertainty with Duke <br /> University, the North Carolina Railroad, and additional environmental assessment needed for <br /> the downtown Durham changes, it is no longer practical to anticipate that the Durham-Orange <br /> Light Rail Project will receive a Full Funding Grant Agreement by November 2019. This means <br /> the project would not be able to meet the November 30 deadline set by the North Carolina <br /> General Assembly and therefore would no longer be eligible for any State funding. <br /> The Interlocal Cost Sharing Agreement for the Durham-Orange Light Rail Transit Project <br /> (Attachment 1) prescribes a decision making process when funding becomes unavailable. It <br /> requires the parties to the agreement to meet within fifteen (15) business days to determine how <br /> to address the situation. One of the options available to the cost share partners is to discontinue <br /> the project. If this option is chosen, the Agreement stipulates that the Staff Working Group <br /> comprised of representatives from each County, GoTriangle, and the Durham — Chapel Hill - <br /> Carrboro Metropolitan Planning Organization shall convene within twenty (20) business days to <br /> begin the process of developing new Transit Plans that reallocate the dedicated transit revenue <br /> that had been allocated to the light rail project. <br /> The legal counsels for each of the parties to the Interlocal Cost Share Agreement have agreed <br /> that a vote by the full Board of County Commissioners will satisfy the requirements of the Cost <br /> Sharing Agreement. This action will formally discontinue the project and begin the process of <br /> amending the Orange County Transit Plan. <br /> FINANCIAL IMPACT: Orange County's contribution to the light rail project was $149.5 million. <br /> These funds will be reallocated through proposed amendments to the Orange County Transit <br /> Plan. <br /> Travis Myren made the following PowerPoint presentation: <br /> Consideration of Discontinuing the Durham-Orange Light Rail Protect <br /> Board of Orange County Commissioners <br /> April 2, 2019 <br /> Purpose <br /> Board Approval to Discontinue the Durham-Orange Light Rail Project <br />