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<span style="mso-fareast-language:EN-US"><img width="309" height="77" style="width:3.2166in;height:.8in" id="Picture_x0020_1812098640" src="cid:image005.jpg@01D710F3.49732820" alt="Title: City of Durham Office of Public Affairs logo"></span><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" align="right" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:right;line-height:normal">
<b><span style="color:#00467F">News Media Contact<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="right" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:right;line-height:normal">
<span style="color:#00467F">Amy Blalock, Public Affairs Manager<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="right" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:right;line-height:normal">
<span style="color:#00467F">919.560.4123 x11253 | 919.475.7735 (mobile)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="right" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:right;line-height:normal">
<span style="color:#00467F">Amy.Blalock@DurhamNC.gov</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:#00467F"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<span style="font-size:50.0pt;color:#00467F">News Release</span><span style="font-size:49.0pt;color:#00467F;text-transform:uppercase">
</span><br>
<span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:#EF3D42">For Immediate Release: March 4, 2021</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:#D3372A"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<span style="color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<b><span style="font-size:14.0pt">City of Durham Launches GoDurham Better Bus Project<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
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DURHAM, N.C. – Over the coming year, GoDurham riders will experience better reliability, comfort, convenience, safety, and other improvements thanks to a new project designed to enhance rider experiences.<o:p></o:p></p>
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<o:p> </o:p></p>
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The City of Durham Transportation Department is launching the <a href="https://durhamnc.gov/4372/GoDurham-Better-Bus-Project">
Better Bus Project</a>, a $1.5 million initiative funded by the Durham County Transit Plan, to design sidewalk, bus stop, and street improvements that enhance the GoDurham bus riding experience by providing safe pedestrian access to bus stops, enhanced comfort
at bus stops, and improved bus service on routes. <o:p></o:p></p>
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<o:p> </o:p></p>
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“The goal of these projects is to transform the experience of GoDurham bus riders with high-quality infrastructure along major corridors and safety improvements that prioritize pedestrians and transit riders” said Director Sean Egan with the City’s Transportation
Department. “Additionally, these investments focus benefits in traditionally disadvantaged communities when viewed through an equity lens as more than 80% of GoDurham riders are people of color, 75% have household incomes less than $25,000, and more than two-thirds
live in zero-car households.” <o:p></o:p></p>
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<o:p> </o:p></p>
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This new initiative consists of six related projects in five areas that will be completed over the next 12 months:<o:p></o:p></p>
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<o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:.25in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:-.25in;line-height:normal;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2">
<![if !supportLists]><span style="font-family:"Noto Sans Symbols";color:black"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">●<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><![endif]><b><span style="color:black">Bus Access Project: </span>
</b><span style="color:black">The City has increasingly focused on coordinating bus stop and service improvements with sidewalk and crosswalk improvements that enhance access to stops. Pedestrian access to bus stops in many neighborhoods is limited by incomplete
sidewalks, inadequate crosswalks, busy driveways, and other hazards. This project will identify and design sidewalks, crosswalks, and other facilities to address gaps and hazards on the streets around bus stops.
</span><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<span style="color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:.25in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:-.25in;line-height:normal;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2">
<![if !supportLists]><span style="font-family:"Noto Sans Symbols";color:black"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">●<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><![endif]><b><span style="color:black">Bus Speed and Reliability Project:
</span></b><span style="color:black">Bus speed is the ability of the bus to move along a route in a reasonable amount of time. Bus reliability is the ability of the bus to arrive at stops at consistent and predictable times. Improving GoDurham bus speed and
reliability will require the City to address congestion, parking conflicts, signal timing, intersection configuration, and other factors. This project will evaluate bus speed and reliability issues identified on high demand GoDurham routes, and design bus
priority spot projects that modify traffic controls, pavement markings, or signage to improve bus service.
</span><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal">
<span style="color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<![if !supportLists]><span style="font-family:"Noto Sans Symbols";color:black"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">●<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><![endif]><b><span style="color:black">Durham Station Transit Area Project:
</span></b><span style="color:black">Bus speed and reliability issues are especially acute on downtown streets where GoDurham bus routes converge as they enter and exit Durham Station. Traffic congestion, curbside conflicts, and limited right-of-way present
a growing challenge in downtown. The City will design bus priority improvements and street reconfigurations that improve bus service on all GoDurham routes.</span><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal">
<span style="color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:.25in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:-.25in;line-height:normal;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2">
<![if !supportLists]><span style="font-family:"Noto Sans Symbols";color:black"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">●<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><![endif]><b><span style="color:black">Fayetteville Street Transit Corridor Project:
</span></b><span style="color:black">The Durham County Transit Plan includes funding for bus infrastructure improvements within designated transit corridors. The Fayetteville Street Transit Corridor has the second highest ridership in the GoDurham system and
now provides 15-minute service. This project will identify and design sidewalk, street, and bus stop improvements for GoDurham riders along a 2.8-mile section of Fayetteville Street from Lakewood Avenue to Riddle Road that is served by GoDurham Route 5.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal">
<span style="color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:.25in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:-.25in;line-height:normal;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2">
<![if !supportLists]><span style="font-family:"Noto Sans Symbols";color:black"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">●<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><![endif]><b><span style="color:black">Holloway Street Transit Corridor Project:</span></b><span style="color:black"> The Holloway Street Transit Corridor has the highest ridership in the GoDurham system and also provides 15-minute service.
This project will identify and design sidewalk, street, and bus stop improvements for GoDurham riders along a<b>
</b>2.1-mile section of GoDurham Route 3 (Holloway Street, Liberty Street, Elizabeth Street) from Roxboro Street to U.S. Highway 70.
</span><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal">
<span style="color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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</span></span></span><![endif]><b><span style="color:black">Village Transit Center Plan:
</span></b><span style="color:black">The City will also upgrade the bus stops at The Village to a more comfortable and convenient transit center for bus riders. The Route 3 bus stops at The Village on Raynor Street see higher boarding and alighting counts than
all other stops in the GoDurham system, excluding Durham Station. These high-use bus stops need additional shelter, real-time bus information, and other amenities. This project will consider the redesign of these stops, including lighting, landscaping, and
shelter designs that create inviting public spaces. </span><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<o:p> </o:p></p>
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According to Egan, the Bus Access Project and Bus Speed and Reliability Project will identify and design “quick-build” street and sidewalk improvements across Durham that the City can move to construction in spring 2022. Conceptual designs will be developed
for more comprehensive improvements identified in the two transit corridors and around Durham Station. The City will complete design and construction work for these improvements as funding becomes available.<o:p></o:p></p>
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<o:p> </o:p></p>
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As the Better Bus Project gets underway, Durham residents will have virtual and in-person opportunities to provide their input on improvements to bus access and bus service. Public engagement will follow the City’s
<a href="https://www.durhamcommunityengagement.org/equitable_engagement">Equitable Community Engagement Blueprint</a>, which includes
<span style="background:white">intentional engagement procedures to ensure historically underrepresented communities are included in planning and decision-making processes</span>. The Better Bus Project team is working with community partners and other local
stakeholders to engage bus riders and other residents whose voices are often missing from City plans and projects<i>.
</i>The feedback received during the engagement process will help the Transportation Department identify, prioritize, and design improvements to sidewalks, streets, and bus stops.
<o:p></o:p></p>
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<o:p> </o:p></p>
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The Better Bus Project team will also coordinate outreach with related City projects, including the
<a href="https://engagedurham.com/durham-county-transit-plan/">Durham County Transit Plan</a> update,
<a href="https://engagedurham.com/comprehensive-plan/"><span style="color:windowtext;text-decoration:none">the</span><span style="color:windowtext;text-decoration:none">
</span>Comprehensive Plan</a> update, the <a href="https://godurhamtransit.org/stops">
GoDurham Bus Stop Improvements</a> project, and the <a href="https://engagedurham.com/sidewalks/">
Sidewalk Assessment and Inventory</a> project.<o:p></o:p></p>
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<o:p> </o:p></p>
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The Better Bus Project is funded by the transit-dedicated half-cent sales tax, passed in 2011 by voters to implement the Durham County Transit Plan. To get involved, sign up to receive project updates, learn about upcoming events, or to leave a comment now,
riders should visit the <a href="https://durhamnc.gov/4372/GoDurham-Better-Bus-Project">
Better Bus Project webpage</a>. For additional information or <span style="color:black">
requests for language translation assistance</span>, contact Transportation Planner Brian Taylor by
<a href="mailto:Brian.Taylor@DurhamNC.gov">email</a> or Project Manager Greg Saur by
<a href="mailto:Greg.Saur@wsp.com">email</a>.<o:p></o:p></p>
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<o:p> </o:p></p>
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<b>About the City of Durham Transportation Department<o:p></o:p></b></p>
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The <a href="https://durhamnc.gov/1002/Transportation">Transportation Department</a> remains steadfast in its commitment to providing and maintaining quality, multimodal infrastructure to improve mobility, promote environmental sustainability, and enhance the
quality of life for current and future Durham residents, businesses, and visitors. To learn more, follow the department on
<a href="https://twitter.com/movesafedurham">Twitter</a>.<o:p></o:p></p>
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<o:p> </o:p></p>
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###<o:p></o:p></p>
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<o:p> </o:p></p>
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<span style="mso-fareast-language:EN-US"><img border="0" width="632" height="30" style="width:6.5833in;height:.3166in" id="Picture_x0020_1384759704" src="cid:image006.jpg@01D710F3.49732820" alt="Title: City of Durham Office of Public Affairs contact information"></span><o:p></o:p></p>
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