Background and Updates on Purchase
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SPECIAL NEWS ITEM: On June 21 we learned from NCDOT that Norfolk Southern has taken the 501 Corridor off the market. The short "Beltline" (downtown) section of the corridor is still on the market. We'll post any further updates to this situation as soon as we can learn anything.
Background: NCDOT agreed to pick up 50% of the purchase cost (of both the Beltline and the Durham-Timberlake corridors). Both Durham County & City needed to fund the other 50% of the purchase. On May 23, 2005, the County of Durham approved an earmark of $1,500,000 for their share of the purchase in its long-range CIP (Capitol Improvement Plan). The City of Durham approved its CIP on June 20, 2005. It earmarked $1,500,000 in its CIP. This would be funded by the 2005 General Obligation Bond, to be approved by voters in a referendum in November 2005. To assist with the local match, the City of Durham requested federal funds. Congressman Price inserted an earmark for about $2M in the transportation bill. If purchased, both corridors could be used for interim trail use. Combined with the American Tobacco Trail & the North-South Greenway, the area would have a system that is over 40 miles long. What's more, this system could become a portion of the East Cost Greenway! They could also eventually provide the rail corridor needed for an extension of the planned TTA Regional Rail system. A 'rail with trail,' successful in other parts of the country could be easily established on this corridor.
Updates:
On May 23, 2005, the County of Durham approved an earmark of $1,500,000 for their share of the purchase.
The City of Durham approved its Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) on June 20, 2005. It earmarked $1,500,000 in its CIP. This would be funded by the 2005 General Obligation Bond, to be approved by voters in a referendum in November 2005. On November 8, 2005, the voters of the city of Durham approved 8 bond orders. This included the $1.5M earmark for the "501 Rail Corridor" , which was included in the Parks and Recreation Bond Order.
Both the House and Senate set aside funds for acquisition and development of both corridors in the 2005 Transportation Equity Act. The House allocated $1.6M for "Constuction of bicycle and pedestrian trails, Durham and Durham County." $2M was allocated by the Senate for "Acquisition of rail corridors for use as bicycle and pedestrian trails, Durham."
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