Safety Impacts

There are over 40 at-grade crossings in the Durham Orange Light Rail Plan.

An “at-grade” crossing is one where a train crosses a street on the same level as the street — as opposed to crossing via a bridge over the street or through a tunnel under the street. Each such crossing contains a barrier that come up and down and rings a loud bell. Traffic will be interrupted for 50 seconds while the train crosses. At-grade crossings  increase the chances of vehicle collisions with trains, as well as pedestrian accidents.

To minimize the likelihood of collisions with cars, barriers and bells will be installed at each of DOLRT’s at-grade crossings. See this video of an at-grade crossing in Denver. Note that a bell rings for 50 seconds while car traffic is held up. An idling engine can produce up to twice as many exhaust emissions as an engine in motion, such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, and particulate matter affecting the air quality of the surrounding environment and the air we breathe.

The Durham Orange Light Rail Transit (DOLRT)  has over forty at-grade crossings — see the list below – and there will be 150 trains crossings at each one every day, 24 hours a day. That equates to two hours of traffic blocking and noise at each at-grade crossing each day. That’s a lot of snarled traffic and noise on already congested intersections. The 150 number may actually be low, because on January 24, 2017 GoTriangle’s Danny Rogers told the BOCC that train intervals may be lowered from every 10 minutes to every 7.5 minutes to compensate for the proposed reduction in the size of a train.

It should be noted that one of the main arguments in favor of the light rail is that it will attract investment, adding density and jobs along the DOLRT route. That’s all the more reason to worry about at-grade crossings. Higher density will increase the likelihood of accidents. The only way to avert accidents is to not build aerial bridges or tunnels instead. That result is called grade separation.”

This is the safest crossing, because there is no interference between trains and cars. However, that design change would further escalate costs. GoTriangle has discovered they need a tunnel and an additional bridge in downtown Durham to keep streets open. That change is currently estimated at 100 million additional dollars. The Light Rail project already exceeds 3.4 billion dollars. Because so much money is borrowed into the future, all of Orange County;s transit tax is obligated until 2064, removing the options of other forms of transit without raising more taxes.

Because of the hazards associated with at-grade crossings, the NC DOT (Department of Transportation) is working to remove at-grade crossings for railroads.

[View the details from this report here.]

Here are the train/car intersection portions of the DOLRT: [It’s based on this map which can be zoomed in on to show streets.]

# Location Type

UNC/NC 54

1 Mason Farm Road at-grade crossing
2 UNC Hibbard Drive bridge
3 Baity Hill Drive at-grade crossing
4 Manning Drive bridge
5 Carmichael Street bridge
6 Fordham Blvd (15-501) bridge
7 Finley Golf Course Road at its intersection with Prestwick Road at-grade crossing
8 Friday Center Drive #1 (south of 54) at-grade crossing
9 Friday Center Drive #2 (south of 54) near the park and ride lot at-grade crossing
10 Barbee Chapel Road south of NC 54 at-grade crossing
11 Little John Road south of NC 54 at-grade crossing
12 Downing Creek Parkway south of NC 54 at-grade crossing
13 Route 54 bridge
14 George King Road (Realigned) west of New North-South Connector at-grade crossing
15 Wendell Road at-grade crossing
16 Crescent Drive at-grade crossing
17 Farrington Road south of Wendell Road at-grade crossing
University Drive/US 15-501
18 Farrington Road (2nd crossing) at-grade crossing
19 Pope Road (a rotary will be built at intersection with Old Chapel Hill Road) at-grade crossing
20 Old Chapel Hill Road at-grade crossing
21 I-40 plus 2 exit ramps bridges
22 Mt. Moriah Road bridge
23 McFarland Drive bridge
24 Duke Med Drive (two of them) bridge
25 Honeycutt Drive bridge
26 Witherspoon Boulevard at-grade crossing
27 Southwest Durham Parkway at-grade crossing
28 Garrett Road bridge
29 unnamed road which runs from Garrett Road to Durham Chapel Hill Blvd bridge
30 Snow Crest Trail at University Drive at-grade median-running
31 University Drive (from Ivy Creek Blvd to Shannon Road)

Along the way it crosses:

  • Larchmont road
  • Martin Luther King Jr Parkway
  • Lyckan Drive
  • Westgate Drive
at-grade median-running
32 Shannon Road runs along north side
33 Mayfair Street bridge
34 Durham Chapel Hill Blvd bridge
35 Conifer Glen Lane at-grade crossing
36 Pickett Road at-grade crossing
37 Western Bypass Road at-grade crossing
38 West Cornwallis Road bridge

Erwin Road

39 Cameron Blvd at-grade crossing
40 Erwin Road (beginning at Cameron blvd)

 

Along the way it passes intersections from:

  • Center for Living (CFL) Drive
  • Morreene Road/Towerview Road
  • Lambeth Circle
  • South Lasalle Street
  • Downing Street
  • Douglas Street/Research Drive
  • Eye Center Drive
  • Fulton Street
  • Emergency Drive
  • Trent Drive
  • Flowers Drive
  • Anderson Street
at-grade median-running
41 Route 147 bridge
42 Erwin Road / 9th Street bridge
43 Case Street bridge
44 Swift Avenue bridge
45 Powe Street bridge
46 Campus Drive bridge

Downtown Durham

47 South Buchanan Boulevard at-grade crossing
48 Wilkerson Avenue south of Pettrigrew Street bridge
49 South Gregson Street south of Pettigrew Street at-grade crossing
50 South Duke Street north of Memorial Street at-grade crossing
51 West Chapel Hill Street at Pettigrew Street at-grade crossing
52 West Pettigrew Steet at-grade crossing
53 Blackwell Street / Corcoran Street at Pettigrew Street at-grade crossing
54 South Mangum Street at Pettigrew Street at-grade crossing
55 South Roxboro Street at Pettigrew Street at-grade crossing
56 South Dillard Street at Pettigrew Street at-grade crossing
57 Fayetteville Street at Pettigrew Street at-grade crossing
58 Ramseur Street /Grant Street at-grade crossing
59 East Pettigrew Street at-grade crossing
60 Colfax Street at-grade crossing
61 Murphey Street at-grade crossing
62 I-147 bridge
63 Linwood Avenue at-grade crossing
64 Massey Avenue at-grade crossing
65 Price Avenue at-grade crossing
66 Cox Avenue at-grade crossing
67 Dupree Street at-grade crossing

Crossing Type Definitions

“Bridge” = bridge over road (aka “aerial”). This is the best crossing, because there is no interference between trains and cars.

“At-grade Crossing” = Light rail crosses a street. Each such crossing will have barriers and a bell.  Traffic will be interrupted for 50 seconds while train crosses. Cars must not pause in such an area, because a train may come by at any time.

“At-grade Median-Running” = Light Rail runs down a median strip in a street. It’s at street level.  Erwin Road will be widened on both sides to accommodate light rail in the middle.

“Street-Running” = Light Rail runs along a street and shares the street with pedestrians, cars, and trucks.  It’s similar to median-running.

You can help by signing the petition asking the Orange County commissioners to finally cap the local cost.

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