NCRR – GoTriangle Chronology
Durham-Orange Light Rail
Background (1989- 2012)
1989 - NC General Assembly enabled the creation of Triangle Transit (TTA) as a regional public
transportation authority serving Durham, Orange and Wake counties. The new unit of local
government was chartered by the NC Secretary of State on December 1, 1989.
1991- NC General Assembly, subject to County approvals, authorized Triangle Transit to levy a
vehicle registration tax of up to $5 per registration. This tag tax finances the regional bus
operations, vanpooling program and planning program.
1997- NC General Assembly, subject to County approvals, authorized Triangle Transit to levy a
rental vehicle tax of up to 5% of gross receipts. This tax was effective January 1, 1998.
1998 – Completion of US 15-501 Phase I Major Investment Study. Includes discussion of transit
alternatives between Durham and Chapel Hill including light rail.
December 2001 – US 15-501 Phase II Major Investment Study completed by HNTB for City of
Durham, Town of Chapel Hill, Triangle Transit Authority, NCDOT, Duke University and UNCChapel Hill. Includes discussion of transit alternatives between Durham and Chapel Hill
including light rail.
July 25, 2002 – NCRR Right of Way Usage Agreement executed for a Regional Rail System on
the NCRR corridor from milepost H-53 (Duke Hospital) to H-81 (Downtown Raleigh) with
heavy/compliant vehicles on parallel tracks, separately dispatched. Agreement called for a onetime $15 million payment if TTA plan moved forward.
2004-2006 - NCRR review of TTA Regional Rail plans (legal/property and engineering support).
TTA reimbursed some NCRR expenses.
August 2006 – TTA announced that they were withdrawing their bid for federal money for the
Regional Rail Plan and John Claffin stepped down as General Manager (replaced by David King)
December 2006 – February 2012 – Seven Amendments (extensions) to NCRR Right of Way
Usage Agreement; Final amendment/extension expired January 23, 2013.
December 2006 – Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro MPO (DCHCMPO) and Capital Area MPO
(CAMPO) form the Special Transit Advisory Commission (STAC) to help develop a new transit
plan (including rail) for the Triangle Area.
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 March 2008 – STAC concludes their work; their recommendations (which include 56 miles of
rail transit: commuter rail Raleigh to Durham, light rail Durham to Chapel Hill) are passed onto
to Triangle Transit as the start of a new plan.
April 2009 –DCHCMPO and CAMPO approve 2035 Long Range Transportation Plan that
identified corridors, including the Durham-Orange corridor, for fixed guideway investments
over the next 30 years
August 2009- NC General Assembly authorized Durham, Orange, and Wake counties (as well as
Forsyth, Guilford, and Mecklenburg) to allow a ½ cent sales tax for public transportation
referendum on ballots at the county commissioners’ discretion. All other counties in the state
were authorized to allow for a ¼ cent sales tax for public transportation referendum. (Session
Law 2009-527)
July 2011 – Triangle Transit submits “Alternatives Analysis” to Federal Transit Administration
(FTA) which outlined recommendations for light rail in the Durham to Orange Corridor and
commuter rail in the Durham to Wake Corridor.
September 2011, December 2011, April 2012 – Three TTA-NCRR “Leadership Team” meetings
(meetings between NCRR and TTA key Board members) to improve communication and
collaboration between NCRR and TTA
November 2011 – Durham County voters approve ½ cent sales tax for regional bus
improvements and proposed rail transit. (County Commissioners in Durham and Orange
authorize levy of the tax in December 2012.)
April 2012 – Triangle Transit completes an Alternatives Analysis that includes selection of light
rail in the Durham-Orange transit corridor as the locally preferred alternative (DCHC MPO had
approved as LPA in Feb 2012)
September 2012 – Triangle Transit submits New Starts application to FTA for Durham to Orange
Light Rail plan. (Following this submittal FTA changed the application requirements and
required all applicants, including TTA, to re-apply)
November 2012 – Orange County voters approve ½ cent sales tax for regional bus
improvements and proposed rail transit. (County Commissioners in Durham and Orange
authorize levy of the tax in December 2012.)
Initial Planning of CURRENT Durham Orange Light Rail (2013-2017)
April 2013 – ½ cent sales tax for transit begins to be collected in Durham and Orange counties
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 June 2013 – NCRR (and their legal counsel) provide TTA first draft of an outline of terms for a
lease agreement (for Durham – Orange Light Rail in NCRR corridor) (Further edits, feedback
from TTA not yet rec’d)
July 2013 - NCRR (and their legal counsel) review a first draft of Preliminary Engineering
Reimbursement Agreement for Durham – Orange Light Rail (see May 24, 2018 for
completion/execution of final version of this agreement)
July 2013 – June 2015 – NCRR and TTA engineering teams meet regarding technical issues with
use of NCRR corridor for Durham- Orange Light Rail (approx 2 miles). Meetings include NCRR
Chairman Duane Long, TTA Board member Fred Day, Jim Kessler, Mary Dillon, Dave Charters
and Deborah Ross.
December 2013 - David King asks for NCRR supporting letter for FTA purposes – NCRR declines
(Dec. 31, 2013). NCRR notifies TTA that it has not modified its plans to NCRR specifications
despite meetings and engineering reviews by NCRR engineering and TTA consultants (only
minor modifications made).
January 2014 – Meeting with Durham City Manager, Planning Director, and Transportation Staff
(Saylor, Kessler, King, et al.) regarding right of way issues in downtown Durham due to
Pettigrew, Ramseur, and Main St. encroachments into NCRR corridor.
February 2014 – TTA receives approval from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to enter
into the project development phase for DOLRT (New Starts Program)
August 2014 – NCRR-TTA Trip to Norfolk to see The Tide light rail operation
March 2015 – Triangle Transit changes name to GoTriangle
March 2, 2015 – NCRR notifies GoTriangle that it is in agreement with the alignment/plan
depicted in “Triangle Transit’s Segment F” plan and profile drawings dated January 26, 2015
May 21, 2015 – NCRR Board of Directors approves NCRR management to enter into formal
lease agreement negotiations with GoTriangle for construction, operation, and maintenance of
DOLRT (based upon the design at that time)
2015-2017 – Monthly meetings and/or calls between NCRR and GoTriangle on DOLRT plans;
sometimes included NCRR and GoTriangle legal counsel (particularly in 2015), but were mostly
meetings/calls between Jim Kessler and Dave Charters (engineering & design topics)
June 2015 – GoTriangle sends letter to FRA requesting jurisdictional determination for DOLRT
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 September 30, 2015 – call with FRA to discuss grade crossing questions about DOLRT
February 2016 – The FTA issues a Final Environmental Impact Statement/Record of Decision
(FEIS/ROD) for the DOLRT project
September 8, 2016 – FRA asks additional questions regarding grade crossings on DOLRT
December 2016 – The FTA issues an Amended Record of Decision (ROD) for the DOLRT project
based on refinements to the NCCU station area
March 1, 2017 – NCRR (Jim Kessler) attends interagency working group meeting
Recent Planning of CURRENT Durham Orange Light Rail (2018-2019)
January 2018 – present – NCRR (Jim Kessler) and GoTriangle (Dave Charters) have monthly (and
sometimes bi-monthly) calls to discuss the DOLRT plan and design [Engineering]
January 8, 2018 – NCRR (Jim Kessler) attends DOLRT meeting on Downtown Durham Grade
Crossing Protection [Engineering]
April 11, 2018 - NCRR (Donald Arant) attends DOLRT Fire, Life, & Safety Meeting [Engineering]
April 16, 2018 - NCRR (Donald Arant) attends DOLRT Planning Meeting [Engineering]
April 26, 2018 – NCRR (Jim Kessler, Donald Arant), NS, and GoTriangle meet to discuss DOLRT
downtown Durham grade crossings [Engineering]
May 3, 2018 – NCRR (Jim Kessler) and GoTriangle meet to discuss Reimbursement Agreement
[Engineering; Property/Legal]
May 24, 2018
– NCRR and GoTriangle execute Reimbursement Agreement for Final
Design Review and Lease Preparation for DOLRT [Engineering; Property/Legal]
– NCRR (Andrew Tate & Mary Dillon) and GoTriangle meet in person to work on draft
lease agreement [Property/Legal]
June 22, 2018 – NCRR (Andrew Tate & Mary Dillon) and GoTriangle meet in person to work on
draft lease agreement [Property/Legal]
June 28, 2018 – NCRR (Jim Kessler) attends DOLRT meeting on Downtown Durham Grade
Crossings [Engineering]
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 July 9, 2018 – NCRR (Scott Saylor & Mary Dillon) have teleconference with Jeff Mann
(GoTriangle) on draft lease agreement [Property/Legal]
July 12, 2018 – NCRR (Andrew Tate & Mary Dillon) and GoTriangle meet via teleconference to
work on draft lease agreement [Property/Legal]
July 16, 2018 – NCRR (Jim Kessler, Donald Arant) attends DOLRT meeting to review and discuss
NCRR’s comments on plans and design [Engineering]
August 14, 2018 – GoTriangle provides NCRR a draft of the lease agreement [Property/Legal]
August 29, 2018 – NCRR (Andrew Tate & Mary Dillon) and GoTriangle meet in person to work
on draft lease agreement [Property/Legal]
September 11, 2018 – NCRR (Scott Saylor, John Hardin) attends meeting with Secretary of
Transportation Jim Trogdon, Mayor Steve Schewel (Durham), Jeff Mann (Go Triangle), Damon
Selis (Chair of DCHCMPO Board), Bill Bell (Former Mayor of Durham, NCRR Board), and John
Edwards & Tim Bentley (NS) at Nina Szlosberg-Landis’ house to DOLRT plan and deadlines
[General/Leadership]
August 14, 2018 – GoTriangle provides NCRR an updated draft of the lease agreement
[Property/Legal]
September 15, 2018 – NCRR provides GoTriangle with edits to the current draft lease
agreement [Property/Legal]
September 18, 2018 – GoTriangle provides NCRR an updated draft of the lease agreement
[Property/Legal]
September 24, 2018 - NCRR (Jim Kessler) attends DOLRT Planning Meeting [Engineering]
October 11, 2018 - NCRR (Jim Kessler) participates in all day DOLRT charrette hosted by
NCDOT [Engineering]
October 12, 2018 – NCRR provides GoTriangle with edits to the current draft lease agreement
[Property/Legal]
October 15, 2018 – NCRR (Andrew Tate & Mary Dillon) and GoTriangle meet in person to work
on draft lease agreement [Property/Legal]
November 6, 2018 – NCRR (Scott Saylor and Mary Dillon) meet with Jeff Mann and Shelley
Blake (GoTriangle) to discuss draft lease agreement [Property/Legal]
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 November 9, 2018 – GoTriangle provides NCRR with edits to the current draft lease
agreement/response to NCRR Oct 12 edits [Property/Legal]
November 13, 2018 – NCRR provides GoTriangle with edits to the current draft lease
agreement/response to GoTriangle’s Nov 9 edits; NCRR (Andrew Tate & Mary Dillon) and
GoTriangle meet in person to work on draft lease agreement [Property/Legal]
November 21, 2018 – NCRR and GoTriangle sign a Letter of Mutual Understanding (GoTriangle
to supply copy to FTA) [Property/Legal]
December 13, 2018 – NCRR (Scott Saylor) attends “Downtown Stakeholder Workshop,” run by
Mayor Steve Schewel (Durham), at which the new tunnel alignment was unveiled [General]
December 20, 2018 - NCRR (Scott Saylor, John Hardin, & Mary Dillon) attends meeting with
Secretary of Transportation Jim Trogdon, Mayor Steve Schewel (Durham), Jeff Mann (Go
Triangle), Damon Selis (Chair of DCHCMPO Board), Bill Bell (Former Mayor of Durham, NCRR
Board), Nina Szlosberg-Landis (NCDOT, GoTriangle, & NCRR Boards), and John Edwards & Tim
Bentley (NS) to discuss new DOLRT plan (tunnel) through downtown Durham
[General/Leadership]
December 21, 2018 – NCRR (Andrew Tate & Mary Dillon) and GoTriangle meet via
teleconference to work on draft lease agreement [Property/Legal]
January 2, 2019 – NCRR sends GoTriangle, as requested by GoTriangle, a “comfort letter”
(GoTriangle to supply copy to FTA) [General]
January 10, 2019 – NCRR (Andrew Tate, Mary Dillon, & Scott Saylor) and GoTriangle meet via
teleconference to work on draft lease agreement and discuss revised conceptual plan
[Property/Legal]
January 17, 2019 – GoTriangle provides NCRR with edits to the current draft lease
agreement/response to NCRR Nov 13 edits [Property/Legal]
January 24, 2019 - Letter from NCRR legal counsel to GoTriangle suggesting moving forward
with joint negotiations with NCRR and NS as follow-up to NS letter dated Jan 16
[Property/Legal]
January 28, 2019 – NCRR (Jim Kessler, Andrew Tate, & Mary Dillon), NS, and GoTriangle staffs
meet in person to review revised engineering plans (15%) for the DOLRT alignment/tunnel
through downtown Durham in NCRR’s corridor [Engineering]
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 January 29, 2019 - GoTriangle submits 15% DOLRT “Pettigrew Street Refinement” plans for
review
January 30, 2019 - NCRR (Donald Arant) attends DOLRT grade crossing diagnostic review field
meeting in Durham [Engineering]
February 1, 2019 – GoTriangle responds to NS & NCRR joint discussions framework letters
[Property/Legal]
February 4, 2019 – NCRR (Andrew Tate & Mary Dillon), NS, and GoTriangle staffs and counsels
meet in person to work on draft lease agreement [Property/Legal]
February 7, 2019 – NCRR provides GoTriangle with edits to the current draft lease
agreement/response to GoTriangle Jan 17 edits [Property/Legal]
February 13, 2019
– NCRR (Andrew Tate & Mary Dillon), NS, and GoTriangle staffs and counsels
meet in person to work on draft lease agreement [Property/Legal]
– NCRR (Jim Kessler, Andrew Tate, and Mary Dillon) and NS (John Edwards) attend
DOLRT In-Progress Submittal Review Meeting [Engineering]
February 18, 2019 – NCRR (Andrew Tate & Mary Dillon) and GoTriangle meet via
teleconference to work on draft lease agreement [Property/Legal]
February 22, 2019 – NCRR plans to submit its comments on the current DOLRT 15% plans (sent
to NCRR on Jan 29, 2019) [Engineering]

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