Orange County NC Website
Late 2025 - June 2026 Project Contact: J B R R n C H <br /> David Miller,TWTPO RAILTRAIL <br /> Quarterly Summary david.miller@twtpo.org FEASIBILITY STUDY <br /> Project Summary:The Triangle West Transportation Planning Organization (TWTPO),the Town of Chapel Hill,the Town of Carrboro, Orange County, the <br /> North Carolina Railroad Company(NCRR), and UNC Chapel Hill are leading a regional feasibility study to examine potential future reuses of the J Branch <br /> rail corridor.The nearly 11-mile corridor runs from the UNC Cogeneration Facility on Cameron Avenue through downtown Carrboro and the western edge <br /> of Chapel Hill,through Blackwood Station, and ends at the historic University Station site just south of 1-85 in Orange County.The purpose of the study is <br /> to establish a vision for the corridor and to develop high-level concepts for potential future uses.Visit https://vh_b tinl</j-branch for more information. <br /> Progress to Date:TWTPO formed a Client Project Management team and contracted with a consultant team led by VHB in November 2025. In December <br /> 2025, consultants and local stakeholders met for a Visioning Workshop. In the first half of 2026,the project team developed a project website, contacted <br /> property owners adjacent to the corridor, analyzed existing conditions, reviewed local plans and policies affecting the study area, completed case <br /> studies about similar projects in the U.S.,formed a Project Advisory Committee and held its first meeting, and began developing the study's first round of <br /> public engagement. <br /> Q1 and Q2 Past Activities(December 2025—June 2026) Q3 Anticipated Activities(July—September 2026) <br /> Visioning Workshop(December 2025) Identify and Assess Potential Alternatives <br /> Existing Conditions Summary Stakeholder Interviews <br /> Plan Review Summary Conduct Phase I Public Workshops and Pop Up Events <br /> Project Advisory Committee Meeting#1 Project Advisory Committee Meeting#2 <br /> Property Owner Outreach—Postcard Mailing/Website/Survey Release Synthesize Phase I Public Survey Results <br /> Phase I Public Engagement Development <br /> Schedule: <br /> 0-2026 2027 <br /> Task J A S O N D J F M A M <br /> 1 Project Administration <br /> 2 Data Collection, Inventory and Case Studies <br /> 3 Plan Review and Potential Scenarios <br /> 4 Physical Feasibility and Right-of-Way(ROW)Assessment <br /> 5 Economic and Community Impact Analyses <br /> 6 Trail Concept Plan <br /> 7 Planning Level Cost Estimates <br /> 8 Partnerships,Opportunities and Strategies <br /> 9 Public Awareness and Stakeholder Engagement <br /> 10 Final Products <br />