D-O LRT Project Chapter 1 DEIS/Draft Section 4(f) Evaluation Table of Contents List of Tables 1 Purpose and Need .................................................................. 1-1 Table 1.1-1: Forecasted Population Growth .............................. 1-5 1.1 Research Triangle Region ............................................... 1-3 Table 1.3-1: On-Time Performance for Select Triangle 1.1.1 Durham-Orange Corridor .......................................... 1-3 Transit Routes .......................................................................... 1-12 1.1.2 Transportation Challenge .......................................... 1-6 1.2 D-O Corridor Setting ........................................................ 1-8 1.2.1 Land Use and Activity Centers .................................. 1-8 List of Figures 1.2.2 Employment .............................................................. 1-8 Figure 1.0-1: D-O Corridor Location Map .................................. 1-2 1.2.3 Household Characteristics ........................................ 1-8 Figure 1.1-1: Activity Centers in the D-O Corridor ..................... 1-4 1.2.4 Other Characteristics Leading to Likely Transit Figure 1.1-2: Transportation Challenge ..................................... 1-7 Use ..................................................................................... 1-8 Figure 1.2-1: Existing Land Uses in the D-O Corridor ............... 1-9 1.3 Transportation System ................................................... 1-10 Figure 1.3-1: Existing Roadway Network ................................. 1-11 1.3.1 Existing Road Network ............................................ 1-10 Figure 1.3-2: Growth in Triangle Transit Bus Ridership, 2005- 1.3.2 Existing Transit Network ......................................... 1-10 2014 .......................................................................................... 1-12 1.4 Purpose of the Project .................................................... 1-15 Figure 1.3-3: GoTriangle Corridor Routes – Percentage of 1.5 Need for the Project ....................................................... 1-16 Trips that are Late (2011-2015) ............................................... 1-13 1.5.1 Need to Improve Mobility within the D-O Corridor .. 1-16 Figure 1.3-4: Projected 2040 D-O Corridor Travel Patterns .... 1-14 1.5.2 Need to Increase Connectivity ................................ 1-19 Figure 1.5-1: Example Employers and Educational Facilities 1.5.3 Need to Promote Future Development ................... 1-22 in the D-O Corridor ................................................................... 1-17 Figure 1.5-2: Existing Bus Service in Corridor ......................... 1-18 Figure 1.5-3: Projected 2040 Travel Intensity (3D) - Trips Per Square Mile .............................................................................. 1-21 1Purpose and Need 1 Research Triangle Regional Public improvements within the D-O Corridor Transportation Authority d/b/a Triangle (Figure 1.0-1). Transit d/b/a GoTriangle (Triangle Transit), in cooperation with the Federal Transit The purpose of the proposed project is Administration (FTA), prepared this Draft to provide a high-capacity transit service Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) within the D-O Corridor, between Chapel pursuant to the National Environmental Hill and Durham, along the NC 54, I-40, Policy Act (NEPA) to evaluate a potential US 15-501, Erwin Road, and NC 147 high-capacity transit improvement within the transportation corridors, that improves Durham-Orange (D-O) Corridor between mobility, expands transit options, and Chapel Hill and Durham. This chapter supports future development plans. provides an overview of the proposed D-O Light Rail Transit (LRT) Project, describes the purpose of the proposed project, and explains the need for transportation D-O LRT Project 1-2 DEIS/Draft Section 4(f) Evaluation Figure 1.0-1: D-O Corridor Location Map D-O LRT Project 1-3 DEIS/Draft Section 4(f) Evaluation 1.1 Research Triangle to more than a dozen primary industries, Highway 54 (NC 54), NC Highway 55 (NC including biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, 55), and NC Highway 147 (NC 147), all of Region clean technology, smart grid technology, and which experience congestion during morning The Research Triangle is a region in the information technology, as well as global and evening commute times. As a result, Piedmont of North Carolina anchored by the Fortune 100 companies and the Research average travel speeds within the region are University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Triangle Park (RTP) (RTP, 2015). In 2012, expected to decrease, further limiting the (UNC), Duke University (Duke), North Durham and Chapel Hill had the sixth mobility of Triangle residents and visitors. Carolina Central University (NCCU), North highest real gross domestic product (GDP) Given these mobility constraints, the Carolina State University, and the per capita of any metropolitan area in the Triangle is embracing alternative municipalities of Chapel Hill, Durham, Cary, United States (Bureau of Economic transportation options as exemplified by a and Raleigh (the state capital). Triangle Analysis, 2013). 140 percent increase in Triangle Transit’s bus ridership between Triangle Transit fiscal Transit, the regional transportation authority The Triangle is comprised of two urbanized years (FY) 2005 and FY 2014. serving Durham, Orange, and Wake areas (UZA) and is thus under the purview counties, is responsible for creating, of two MPOs, the CAMPO and the DCHC 1.1.1 Durham-Orange Corridor planning, financing, organizing, and MPO. CAMPO covers the eastern UZA of operating a regional public transportation the Triangle region and includes all of Wake The D-O Corridor extends roughly 17 miles system for the Triangle region. County and portions of Franklin, Granville, from southwest Chapel Hill to eastern Durham and includes several educational, The population of the three-county area of Harnett, and Johnston counties, including 18 municipalities within these 5 counties. medical, and other key activity centers, Orange, Durham, and Wake counties has which generate a large number of trips each grown 30 percent in each of the last three The DCHC MPO is responsible for the western UZA of the Triangle covering all of day. These activity centers include (Figure decades and is expected to grow another 80 1.1-1): percent by 2040 (Durham-Chapel Hill- Durham County; a portion of Orange County including the towns of Chapel Hill, Carrboro, Carrboro [DCHC] Metropolitan Planning . Colleges and universities including UNC, Organization [MPO] and Capital Area and Hillsborough and a small portion of Duke, NCCU, and Durham Technical Metropolitan Planning Organization southwest Granville County and northeast Community College (DTCC) [CAMPO], 2040 Metropolitan Transportation Chatham County. The D-O Corridor is Plan [MTP] Socioeconomic Data). Despite located within the DCHC MPO UZA. Major medical facilities, including UNC Hospitals, Durham Veterans Affairs (VA) the recent economic downturn, the region Rapid growth is outpacing the Triangle’s Medical Center, and Duke Medical has continued to grow due to its strong ability to repair, replace, and expand its Center economic base. The Triangle’s economy is highways and bridges. The key highways driven by the presence of state and local under the purview of the DCHC MPO government offices, universities and include Interstate 40 (I-40), Interstate 85 (I- colleges, medical centers, and research and 85), United States (US) Highway 15-501 development industries. The region is home (US 15-501), US Highway 70 (US 70), NC D-O LRT Project 1-4 DEIS/Draft Section 4(f) Evaluation Figure 1.1-1: Activity Centers in the D-O Corridor D-O LRT Project 1-5 DEIS/Draft Section 4(f) Evaluation . Employment centers, including not only Gardens, Carolina Theatre, Durham percent and 52 percent, respectively (Table the area universities and medical Performing Arts Center, Hayti Heritage 1.1-1). The D-O Corridor is located in the facilities but also multiple mixed-use Center, and the NCCU Art Museum heart of the forecasted growth area, and the office and retail destinations, including corridor's population is expected to double . Major transportation hubs like Durham Patterson Place, South Square, the during the same timeframe, outpacing the Station (serving intercity, local, and American Tobacco Campus, and projected growth of the Triangle as a whole. regional bus service) and Durham downtown Durham This growth is spurred by UNC, Duke, their Amtrak Station respective medical centers (both of which . Major athletics facilities at UNC (Dean E. Within the D-O Corridor, population growth are Level I trauma centers), the Durham VA Smith Center, Kenan Memorial Stadium, and cultural and economic diversity are even Medical Center, NCCU, DTCC, and Carmichael Arena, Finley Golf Course), more pronounced than in the Triangle region downtown Durham. Duke (Cameron Indoor Stadium, overall. In fact, according to 2007-2011 Existing and forecasted populations illustrate Wallace Wade Stadium, Washington American Community Survey estimates, Duke Golf Club), downtown Durham transit ridership potential in the densely census tracts located within the corridor populated locations along the D-O Corridor. (Durham Bulls Athletic Park, home of the feature a median household income of AAA Durham Bulls), and NCCU (O'Kelly- Growth is projected to be concentrated $41,696, which is 19 percent lower than the within Chapel Hill and the westernmost