Think of the transformative impact $14.5 million could have had on Orange County if we had spent
it on extending bus lines so the modestly paid could commute to work and fewer people would have to rely on cars.
Instead, Orange County commissioners gambled it away on studies, design and engineering for a light rail line that would connect UNC and Duke hospitals and N.C. Central University, providing that federal and state elected officials agreed to pay the bulk of the cost.
But they lost their — correction: OUR — money when state and federal politicians got stuck in a power play. Federal officials said the Durham-Orange Light Rail Transit project would be eligible for up to 50% funding only if state and local governments committed to the other half; state legislators said they would agree to fund up to 10% of the cost (leaving Durham and Orange counties to pay the remaining 40%) only if the feds promised to pay half the total bill.
If all had gone as the commissioners at GoTriangle had planned, the state would have committed as much as $247 million and the feds another $1.2 billion of the rail line that ultimately will cost $2.47 billion plus $830 million in interest, for a grand total of $3.3 billion. Durham and Orange counties had agreed that Durham would pay 81.5% of the local share ($1.5 billion), with Orange paying 16.5% ($306 million) and private donors kicking in the remaining 2% ($37 million).
Numbers have been flung about and picked apart based on laws and formulae determining regional maximums, scoring and other details. But it all adds up to a boatload of taxpayer money committed to a perk for the middle class and upper wealth residents of Chapel Hill and Durham.
Supporters of DOLRT say it might be useful in attracting corporations to the region, apparently believing that well-paid employees would turn their noses up at riding the bus. (Data on incomes of light rail riders and bus riders from some cities show that to be true.)
Once all options for federal and state funding have been exhausted (DOLRT proponents are holding out for the possibility of a “technical correction” to the state budget), Durham and Orange county commissioners and GoTriangle will have 15 days to decide whether to pull the plug on DOLRT, or at lease put it on hold. If they aren’t able to apply for funding by the end of the year, they/we will not get reimbursed for the money spent so far.
If the commissioners and GoTriangle quash the project, they would have another 20 days to come up with an alternate transit plan.
Fortunately, during the debate on whether to move forward with DOLRT in the first place, community members came up with ideas for a commuter bus system that extended to Mebane and Pittsboro. And plans are still moving forward for Bus Rapid Transit, which had to bow out of vying for state funds so as not to compete with DOLRT.
— Nancy Oates
Bonnie Hauser
/ June 4, 2018Yes this is quite a conundrum. I’m afraid to speak about it in fears of rocking the boat on the legislation. I hope the bill doesn’t change and our leaders finally let DOLRT die.
There are a couple of things worth noting.
(1) in the beginning, the state was expected to fund 25% of DOLRT – now its 10%. That in itself should have cued the county to exit. Even the county’s consultants said the project is very risky. The risks are mounting as the county’s projected growth in sales taxes is now 30% lower than the estimates GoTriangle needs for DOLRT. How will the county make up the shortfall?
(2) So far Orange and Durham have spent $148 million (roughly $30 million for Orange; $120 million for Durham). They “gambled” half of that. But they spent all of it! So I’d ask, what if $148 million was spent on regional transportation instead of promotion, consultants and engineering?
Now I’m relegated to prayer and meditation hoping that the energetic forces of the universe line up for great public transportation and put an end to DOLRT.