Research Triangle Park, NC (August 21, 2015) - On Thursday, August 20, 2015, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) signed the Draft Environmental Impact Statement/Draft Section 4(f) Evaluation (DEIS) for the proposed Durham-Orange Light Rail Transit (D-O LRT) Project. The DEIS documents the environmental, transportation, social, and economic impacts associated with the transportation improvements in the Durham-Orange (D-O) Corridor, and marks an important milestone in the proposed 17-mile light rail project between Chapel Hill and Durham.

Today an advance copy of the DEIS was made available for public review on the D-O LRT Project website (ourtransitfuture.com) and at the GoTriangle administrative office (4600 Emperor Boulevard, Suite 100, Durham, North Carolina 27703). Copies of the DEIS will be distributed to all public libraries in Durham and Orange counties and made available on the GoTriangle website gotriangle.org by Thursday, August 27. GoTriangle is hopeful that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will publish the Notice of Availability in the Federal Register on Friday, August 28, 2015, thus beginning the formal public comment and review period.

DEIS Review and Comment

The public, project partners, government agencies, and stakeholders can review the document on the dates referenced above in several ways:

  • Review a copy of the DEIS on the D-O LRT Project web site at www.ourtransitfuture.com
  • Review a copy of the DEIS at www.gotriangle.org
  • Review a copy of the DEIS at public libraries in Durham and Orange counties
  • Review a copy of the DEIS at GoTriangle’s Administrative Offices

There are many ways to provide comments (e.g., express support, concerns, or questions) about the proposed D-O LRT Project and the information in the DEIS:

  • By email to info@ourtransitfuture.com
  • By postal mail to: D-O LRT Project – DEIS, c/o Triangle Transit, P.O. Box 530, Morrisville, NC 27560
  • By comment card at two public information sessions as noted below
  • Through the D-O LRT Project’s website at www.ourtransitfuture.com
  • In person during public hearings in Chapel Hill and Durham as noted below

GoTriangle anticipates that the EPA will close the public review and comment period on October 13, 2015.

Public Information Sessions

GoTriangle will hold two public information sessions on the DEIS in advance of public hearings on the document:

  • Tuesday, September 15, from 4-7 P.M. at the Friday Center in Chapel Hill, NC
  • Saturday, September 19, from 2-5 P.M. at the Durham Station Transportation Center in Durham, NC

Public Hearings

Two formal public hearings on the DEIS will be held. Each speaker will be allowed two (2) minutes to comment. The dates for the public hearings are:

  • Tuesday, September 29, from 4-7 P.M. at Grumman Auditorium in the Friday Center, 100 Friday Center Drive, Chapel Hill, NC
  • Thursday, October 1, from 4-7 P.M. at the Durham County Commission Chamber, 200 E. Main Street, Old Courthouse – Second Floor, Durham, NC

Questions

If you have questions, please contact Brad Schulz, Communications Officer, at 919-485-7434 or bschulz@gotriangle.org; or Natalie Murdock, Interim Manager of Communications and Public Affairs, at 919-485-7569 or nmurdock@gotriangle.org.

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