Durham-Orange Light Rail Transit Project –
Initial Environmental Comment Period Ending Soon

Research Triangle Park, NC (May 30, 2012) – Triangle residents have a few more weeks to share feedback on environmental issues on the Durham-Orange Light Rail Transit Project.

The 45-day comment period ends on June 18, 2012 and follows the publication of a Federal Register Notice of Intent in early April. The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and Triangle Transit intend to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to study the proposed Project.

The comment period allows public, Federal, State and local agencies, citizens, elected officials, and Project partners to identify and define the issues to be studied in detail in the Federally-required environmental process in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), as amended.

Environmental work follows the selection of light rail transit as the preferred technology in the proposed 17-mile corridor by the Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Metropolitan Planning Organization in February 2012.

To date, more than 100-comments have been received from two workshops in May in Chapel Hill and Durham and online at the Project Web site at http://www.ourtransitfuture.com. All comments received will be incorporated into the final published Scoping Report.

The Federal Register Notice, which includes the Project’s Purpose and Need, Study Area, and EIS Alternatives, is at: http://www.ourtransitfuture.com and http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2012-04-03/pdf/2012-7897.pdf.

The Triangle Regional Transit Program is a comprehensive study of fixed guideway transit opportunities to complement new and expanded bus service. The Triangle Regional Transit Program is managed by Triangle Transit.

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