%1

Research Triangle Park, NC (August 21, 2015) - On Thursday, August 20, 2015, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) signed the Draft Environmental Impact Statement/Draft Section 4(f) Evaluation (DEIS) for the proposed Durham-Orange Light Rail Transit (D-O LRT) Project. The DEIS documents the environmental, transportation, social, and economic impacts associated with the transportation improvements in the Durham-Orange (D-O) Corridor, and marks an important milestone in the proposed 17-mile light rail project between Chapel Hill and Durham.

Orange Public Transportation (OPT) will implement a significant change to the existing Hill-to-Hill midday shuttle, beginning on Monday, August 17.

The expanded route will serve most of the same locations as the existing OPT-operated Hill-to-Hill shuttle with the addition of a new stop at the Cedar Grove Community Center. Only one stop location will be removed from the schedule (UNC Health Sciences building).

The service will be free for all users from Monday, August 17 – Monday, August 31. OPT will resume collection of fares on September 1.

The Durham-Orange Light Rail Transit Project is still in the planning stages, but a new video looks at an important part of the system that will help keep the rail line operating.

A new video called “Know the Facts: What is a Light Rail Maintenance Facility?” is being released on You Tube, giving viewers a glimpse of the current facility in Charlotte that serves the Lynx Light Rail line.

The video is available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VCRMVN6ZK3M.