Ridership forecasts were developed using the Triangle Regional Model. Minor changes to inputs (travel speeds or times, number of residents or employees, etc.) do not always lead to changes in the output (ridership, travel times, etc.) for specific projects like the light-rail line. The Triangle Regional Model was developed by the Triangle Regional Model Service Bureau in cooperation with regional stakeholders Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Metropolitan Planning Organization, Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization, NCDOT and GoTriangle. The model is designed to forecast travel throughout the Triangle region’s transit and roadway system. As such, it contains a network of existing and planned future transit services consistent with the 2040 Metropolitan Transportation Plan. In general, the project is not expected to have a significant effect on traffic on nearby roadways. However, the project will provide a competitive and reliable travel alternative to the congestion on these roadways, particularly during peak traffic hours.
