[Durham INC] DOST position on Rails Alternatives

[Will Wilson]

FYI (and re the Rail Alternatives Analysis Public Hearing Jan. 11):

Durham's Open Space and Trails Commission took the following position on 
the light rail crossing over Sandy Creek/New Hope Creek. (If you're 
interested, email me directly and I'll send you a pdf with supporting 
information.):



Resolution on Light Rail Transit (LRT) or Bus Rapid Transit (BRT-High) 
in the New Hope Creek and Sandy Creek Areas

Whereas, the Durham Open Space and Trails Commission is committed to 
protecting the integrity of important local open spaces and the 
educational and recreational qualities of local trails, and;

Whereas, Triangle Transit’s Conceptual Alternatives Technical Report: 
Durham-Orange County Corridor Alternatives Analysis, dated 1/28/2011, 
shows the locally preferred alternative (LPA) for the light rail line 
crossing the New Hope-Sandy Creek Corridor/Floodplains (as shown in the 
adopted New Hope Creek Corridor Open Space Master Plan) in locations 
that would degrade the quality of important open space and natural area 
lands, and;

Whereas, the LPA route would reduce the educational and recreational 
qualities of the New Hope Bottomlands Trail, and;

Whereas, detailed comments by the New Hope Creek Corridor Advisory 
Committee (NHCCAC) and the North Carolina Natural Heritage Program have 
identified these impacts, particularly habitat alteration and 
interference with wildlife movement as a result of both the construction 
process and the erection of permanent structures and creation of usage 
corridors, and;

Whereas, the Durham Open Space and Trails Commission concurs in the 
concerns raised by NHCCAC and NC Natural Heritage Program, and;

Therefore be it resolved that the Durham Open Space and Trails 
Commission strongly endorses the concept of a LRT and/or BRT-High 
transit corridor using the right-of-way of Highway 15-501 or other 
existing road corridor as it crosses the New Hope Creek 
Corridor/Floodplain and the Sandy Creek Corridor/Floodplain;

Adopted this 16th day of November, 2011.


-- 
http://www.biology.duke.edu/wilson/
New Book: http://www.constructedclimates.org/