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The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) issued an Amended Record of Decision (Amended ROD) in December 2016 for the Durham-Orange Light-Rail Transit (D-O LRT) Project, which is in Durham and Orange counties, North Carolina. Since the publication of the Amended ROD, proposed changes to the project, called “Proposed Refinements,” that address public and agency comments to the project include measures to reduce project cost, incorporate recommendations from other studies to improve accessibility to stations and encourage potential future development. The Proposed Refinements include:

  • Modification to the station platform lengths.
  • Adjustments to the location and configuration of the station platforms, as well as corresponding refinements to the track alignments. 
  • Modifications to the planned park-and-ride lots.
  • Inclusion of bicycle and pedestrian facilities throughout the project.
  • Elevation of the alignment on Erwin Road.
  • Inclusion of drainage, grading and site preparation throughout the project.
  • Modifications to the roadway along Pettigrew Street and Alston Avenue and adjacent roadways.
  • ddition of a station at Blackwell and Mangum streets.

In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and based on the FTA regulations on environmental impact and related procedures (23 Code of Federal Regulations [C.F.R.] Parts 771 and 774), the FTA and GoTriangle prepared a Supplemental Environmental Assessment (Supplemental EA) to document potential impacts associated with the Proposed Refinements. The D-O LRT Project identified in the Amended ROD remains the same, with the exception of the Proposed Refinements. The FTA considered all of the anticipated impacts of the Proposed Refinements in aggregate with the impacts described in the Amended ROD. Based on the information presented in the Supplemental EA, the FTA anticipates that the Proposed Refinements would not result in new, significant adverse social, economic or environmental impacts. The Supplemental EA also includes a preliminary determination in accordance with Section 4(f) of the U.S. Department of Transportation Act that the Proposed Refinements would not result in any new use of properties protected by Section 4(f).

Comment Period

The public comment period for the Supplemental EA and updated draft Section 4(f) Evaluation opened on October 29, 2018 and closed on November 30, 2018.

 


On December 14, 2016, the FTA issued an Amended ROD, Final Section 106 Effects Determination, and Final Section 4(f) Determination for the D-O LRT Project NCCU Station Refinement finding that the requirements of the NEPA and Section 4(f) of the U.S. Department of Transportation Act of 1966 have been satisfied.

The amended ROD amends the prior FEIS/ROD issued by the FTA on the D-O LRT Project in February 2016. Decisions and determinations included in the prior ROD remain unaltered, except where the Amended ROD expressly alters them based on the limited environmental review contained in the Supplemental EA. The Amended ROD approves the inclusion of the NCCU Station Refinement in the D-O LRT Project.

This decision is based on the information presented in the November 2016 Supplemental Environmental Assessment (Supplemental EA) and substantive public comments received during the 30-day public review period. FTA found no significant environmental impacts from the NCCU Station Refinement.

The Amended ROD may be found on this webpage below. It can also be viewed at GoTriangle’s Administrative Office: 4600 Emperor Boulevard, Suite 100, Durham, NC 27703.

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) issued a Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS)/Record of Decision (ROD) in February 2016 for the Durham-Orange Light Rail Transit (D-O LRT) Project, which is located in Durham and Orange Counties, North Carolina. In response to comments made on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS), in the combined FEIS/ROD, FTA and GoTriangle committed to analyze the feasibility of extending the alignment to North Carolina Central University (NCCU).

FTA determined that a Supplemental Environmental Assessment (Supplemental EA) would be required to document any associated impacts. The proposed design refinement would change the location of the eastern terminus in Durham by adding a station near NCCU. The proposed change is referred to as the “NCCU Station Refinement.”

The FTA and GoTriangle prepared a Supplemental Environmental Assessment (Supplemental EA) in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) on the NCCU Station Refinement. The Supplemental EA, published on November 7, 2016, concluded that the NCCU Station Refinement would not result in significant adverse social, economic, or environmental impacts. The Supplemental EA also included a preliminary determination in accordance with Section 4(f) of the U.S. Department of Transportation Act that the NCCU Station Refinement would not result in any new use of properties protected by Section 4(f).

Comment Period

The Supplemental EA was available for 30-days of public review. Copies of the document were available electronically for public review on the D-O LRT Project website and on the GoTriangle website at gotriangle.org. Hard copies were available for public review at the Go Triangle administrative office, the North Carolina Central University Shepherd Memorial Library, and the Durham Public Library – main branch. Public comments were accepted in writing until December 7, 2016.

The Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) responds to substantive comments given during the public comment period on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS). These responses are factual corrections, clarifications, and references to the DEIS or DEIS errata where comments are addressed.

The FEIS is organized into the sections outlined below:

1 – FAST Act Provisions
1.1 – Use of Errata
1.2 – Combined FEIS ROD
2 – Selection of the NEPA Preferred Alternative
2.1 – Purpose and Need
2.2 – Comparison of Transportation and Environmental Consequences
3 – Public Outreach since the Release of the DEIS
3.1 – Notice of Availability
3.2 – 2015 Public Open Houses
3.3 – 2015 Public Hearings
3.4 – Continuous Engagement
3.5 – Limited English Proficiency (LEP) Communities
4 – DEIS Errata Sheets

The Record of Decision (ROD) states the decision of the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), identifies the alternatives considered in reaching the decision, and states the means to avoid, minimize, or mitigate impacts.

The ROD is organized into sections outlined below:

1 – Introduction
2 – Alternatives Considered
3 – Basis for the Decision
4 – NEPA Preferred Alternative Project Description
5 – Measures to Minimize Harms
6 – Monitoring and Enforcement
7 – Public Outreach and Opportunities to Comment
8 – Determinations and Findings Regarding Other Laws
9 – Conclusion

The appendices are organized into sections outlined below:

  • Appendix A: Final Section 4(f) Evaluation
  • Appendix B: Section 106 Determination and Memorandum of Agreement
  • Appendix C: Public Outreach Update
  • Appendix D: Response to Agency Comments (Addresses & Email Addresses Redacted)
  • Appendix E: Common Comment Categories with Responses
  • Appendix F: Response to Substantive Public Comments (Addresses & Email Addresses Redacted)
  • Appendix G: Agency Letters Received
  • Appendix H: Copy of All Public Comments (Addresses & Email Addresses Redacted)
    • H.1 – Civic and Community Organizations
    • H.2 – Citizens and Non-Agency Elected Officials
    • H.3 – Form Letters and Petitions
    • H.4 – Public Hearing Transcripts