Local News

Orange County approves plan to move Durham-Orange Light Rail Transit project forward

The Orange County Board of Commissioners approved the Orange County Transit Plan at its work session Thursday night. The 5-2 vote will allow the proposed Durham-Orange Light Rail Transit (DOLRT) project to move forward.

Posted Updated
WRAL News
ORANGE COUNTY, N.C. — The Orange County Board of Commissioners approved the Orange County Transit Plan at its work session Thursday night.

The 5-2 vote will allow the proposed Durham-Orange Light Rail Transit (DOLRT) project to move forward.

The board also approved the Durham-Orange Light Rail Cost Sharing Agreement, which calls for Durham to pay 81.5 percent of the local construction costs and Orange to pay 16.5 percent. The remaining 2 percent will be funded by a community collaborative.

“The potential benefits of the light rail are great. This project could stimulate economic development along the route, reduce congestion on our roads and make it easier for people to access their jobs,” said Chair Mark Dorosin in a release.

The Federal Transit Administration will now determine whether the light rail project in Durham and Orange counties can move into the engineering phase and if it is eligible for a federal grant through the FTA’s Capital Investment Program.

Copyright 2024 by Capitol Broadcasting Company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.