The N.C. Council of State has authorized UNC-Chapel Hill and NC Central University to convey right of way easements, permanent utility easements and temporary construction easements to GoTriangle for construction of Durham and Orange counties’ light-rail project.
The council voted Oct. 2 to approve the donations of seven NCCU parcels and 18 UNC parcels to the project, which once built will run 17.7 miles from Chapel Hill to Durham with at least 18 stops. The UNC Board of Governors approved the donations in July.
The UNC parcels have an appraised value of $14,220,875, and the NCCU parcels $285,425.
With half of the expected $2.47 billion cost of the project coming from the federal government and 7.7 percent from state government, local and private sources, including property donations, must cover 42.3 percent.
These property donations should reduce the amount of funding needed from private sources to build the project to about $88 million. GoTransit Partners, the nonprofit charged with seeking foundation grants and private donations not typically available to public agencies, continues its work.