Transportation Excerpts - Downtown Blueprint, Durham County Transit Tax Strains and the UDO update
The Durham County Board of Commissioners reviews downtown’s new blueprint before confronting slowing transit tax revenues, an unsustainable long‑range transit model, and pressure to delay or cancel projects rather than amend the current plan. Commissioners debate city–county cost sharing, the idea of a new transit tax, and how updated development rules and street designs could better support walking, biking, and bus rapid transit. 10mins
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Original Meeting
Monday, January 5th, 2026
22804.609
Board of County Commissioners on 2026-01-05 9:00 AM - Work Session
David Bradway
Durham
In This Video
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Staff Working Group Administrator Minor explained that while the transit work program generally followed the adopted plan, higher-than-expected revenues in the FY 2026 work program allowed for minor priority shifts to accelerate bus service expansion, increase funding for maintenance facilities, and support additional staffing.
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Staff Working Group Administrator Minor outlined that multiple new transit funding requests left the long-range financial model unsustainable, prompting consideration of delaying or canceling identified capital and operating projects or revising a regional connections placeholder, all of which would require formal approval through a transit plan amendment.
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Planner Curtis reviewed the 26% transit funding placeholder for quick and reliable regional connections—shifted down from a past rail-focused allocation—and explained that ongoing bus rapid transit planning would define projects for this funding and determine whether the placeholder should be adjusted.
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Staff concluded the transit funding update by noting that while existing commitments in the transit plan remained viable, lower sales tax projections and numerous costly new requests meant no funding was available for additional projects without canceling, reducing, or delaying items in the capital and operating programs, including the bus rapid transit placeholder.
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Commissioner Jacobs questioned the City of Durham’s financial contribution to the Fayetteville corridor and related facilities, emphasized the need for clear cost-sharing and alternative funding policies, and stated opposition to changing the current transit plan or relying on the county transit tax to fund city operations.
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Planner Robin Schultz explained how the new unified development ordinance would incorporate Vision Zero principles by updating interim street cross sections to prioritize vulnerable road users through features such as narrower lanes, dedicated bicycle facilities, wider planting strips, and clearer transit standards for common neighborhood and mixed-use streets.
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