Tensions rise amid Durham-Orange light rail concerns
CONDITION TONIGHT.
>>> THE LIGHT RAIL PROJECT IS
ON TRACK FOR DURHAM BUT NOW WE
COULD SEE A ROADBLOCK.
KEN SMITH IS LIVE IN DURHAM .
>> Reporter: I'M STANDING AT
WHAT HAS BECOME A SOURCE OF
CONTENTION.
THIS IS THE INTERSECTION THAT
SEPARATES THIS PART OF DOWNTOWN
DURHAM FROM THIS PART OF
DOWNTOWN DURHAM WHICH INCLUDES
THE ATHLETIC PARK.
ON PAPER THE DURHAM-ORANGE
LIGHT WELL APPEARS TO BE A
TICKET TO IMPROVE PUBLIC TRANSIT
.
>> DURHAM HAS EXPLODED BUT I
THINK WE NEED GOOD PUBLIC
TRANSPORTATION.
>> Reporter: THAT IS ONE THING
OF WHICH EVERYONE AGREES BUT
NOT ON THE COST.
TWO PEOPLE RESIGNED THEIR POST
FROM THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
THAT IS SET TO RAISE MONEY FOR
THE PROJECT.
>> WE CANNOT LET 25 WORKS THAT
SO MANY GROUPS HAVE DONE GO TO
THE WAYSIDE.
>> Reporter: THIS PROPOSAL IS
CLOSING PORTIONS OF BLACKWELL
STREET.
>> WE ARE NOT AT A PLACE WHERE
WE CAN EXPECT PEOPLE TO PARK
ONE MILE DOWN THE ROAD TO WALK
TO DOWNTOWN AND GET A BURGER OR
A SANDWICH.
THIS REALLY CONCERNS ME.
>> Reporter: WHITNEY JACOBS IS
THE CHAIR OF THE COMMISSION.
SHE SAYS THE GO TRIANGLE STAFF
WILL GO BACK TO THE DRAWING
BOARD LOOK AT ALL OBJECTIVES
BUT SHE SAYS THIS LIGHT RAIL
PROJECT MUST MOVE FORWARD.
>> PEOPLE NEED TO GET DOWNTOWN
BY OTHER WAYS OTHER THAN CARS,
BY BIKES, PEDESTRIANS, BUSES
AND LIGHT RAIL.
>> Reporter: IT SHOULD BE NOTED
THAT MANY WANT MORE
TRANSPARENCY SO THE PEOPLE THAT
WORK AND LIVE DOWNTOWN KNOW
EXACTLY WHAT'S GOING ON. JACOBS
BELIEVES THERE IS A POSSIBILITY
TO BRING ALL OF THE
STAKEHOLDERS BACK TO THE TABLE
TO CONTINUE THIS PROCESS OF THE
LIGHT RAIL. SHE SAYS THE GOAL
IS TO APPLY FOR FEDERAL FUNDING
BY NEXT APRIL AND HOPING TO
HEAR BACK FROM THE GOVERNMENT
BY THE FALL WITH CONSTRUCTION
STARTING IN 2020. BUT A LOT HAS
TO HAPPEN BEFORE THEN.