Durham city council got an update last week on the possible routes, funding, and implementation for a Central Durham Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project.
Since announcing the project in July, the transportation department has updated the proposal with suggestions for alternative routes around Ninth Street on the west side and Holloway Street to the east that would provide the fastest, most efficient service for riders.
The five-mile route would be a combination of existing GoDurham bus routes providing public transit access to an estimated 50,000 residents commuting to and from an estimated 10,000 jobs, including major employers like Duke Hospital. Sean Egan, Durham’s transportation director, told council members during their work session Thursday that the proposed service also represents a “critical link” in the growing network of BRT projects throughout the Triangle.
The design is expected to be finalized in 2029, with construction completed by 2031 and services running in 2032. Following a feasibility study, the transportation department now estimates that the total cost, from design to construction, will be about $150 million, roughly $31 million per mile…