New report shows Triangle area commuter rail project faces many issues
While a new commuter rail to connect Wake and Durham counties has been in the work for years. A new report outlines some of the issues that may stall the project. WRAL spoke with those involved in the project about where it stands.
Posted — UpdatedBased on the map shown to WRAL News, the proposed rail would run 40 miles through Durham and Wake counties, and maybe even Johnston County.
"I have no concerns about the feasibility of the commuter rail," Hutchinson said. "We will be moving forward."
When asked about the optimism, Hutchinson stated that this is a community that is in need of this project.
"We need it, this is imperative for our continued growth and quality of life," Hutchinson said.
Hutchinson was on the board during the failed light rail project for the Triangle and is using those experiences from that project to help with the planned commuter rail.
"We always learned things like communication, or relationships with partners, or relationships with the government or general assembly," Hutchinson said. "Light rail is behind us, and we are moving forward with commuter rail."
"There are challenges, and there are risks. The main challenge is a financial challenge," Lattuca said. "The project came in at $1 billion more than we thought it would be."
The higher cost is part inflation, part "things that we found that we didn't know about," freight railroads and what they feel they need, according to Lattuca.
"We are going to have to look at what we can afford and what the public wants," Hutchinson said. "This is a brand new conversation, the public's input is important."
As far as how to pay for this, the funding sources would be the half-cent sales tax voters approved in Wake and Durham counties.
If the tax is not be enough, so GoTriangle would also rely on federal funding, which has not been secured.
However, even if everything moves through quickly, the soonest someone would be able to board the commuter rail is 2033. If built in phases, Lattuca said it could take 20 or even 30 years before it's finished.
Despite the potential length of the project, Lattuca wants to be patient with it.
"We're being very careful before we take this study and ask the counties to spend a lot of money in the development phase," Lattuca said. "We don't want to start development unless we're sure that we're going to be able to deliver the project."
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