October 24, 2018

John Tallmadge, Interim LRT Project Director

GoTriangle
PO Box 13787
Research Triangle Park, NC 27709

Dear Mr. Tallmadge,

The East Coast Greenway Alliance strongly supports GoTriangle’s Light Rail Transit Project — with one
concern, detailed below. This project aims to achieve our shared goals of improving multimodal
transportation, expanding access to healthcare, education and employment opportunities; and
increasing the quality of life for residents across the Triangle region.

Based in Durham, NC, the East Coast Greenway Alliance is the non-profit organization spearheading
the development of a safe and accessible 3,000-mile greenway from Maine to Florida through cities
and towns along the East Coast. The East Coast Greenway route in the Triangle spans four counties
and connects the cities of Durham and Raleigh with the towns of Cary, Apex, and Clayton. It serves as
a 72-mile trail spine that links to other trail systems across the region. It provides residents and visitors a
healthy and sustainable way to explore the region’s downtowns, college campuses, and parks. It also
serves as a critical active transportation corridor, getting people to work and to transit connections
from their own neighborhoods. With the Greenway nearly completed in the Triangle, it is estimated that
this section of the ECG generates $90 million in annual health, environmental, economic, and
transportation benefits.

While we fully support light rail transit in the region, we have concerns over the proposal to close the
Blackwell/Corcoran Street crossing in Downtown Durham. This intersection is heavily used by bicyclists
and pedestrians traveling to and from Downtown to access adjacent neighborhoods and the growing
number of jobs and amenities on both sides of the railroad corridor. In addition, this crossing provides
a critical connection along the East Coast Greenway, linking the planned Durham Belt Line Trail and
the Downtown Trail with the American Tobacco Trail, which connects to the expansive greenway
networks of Cary and Raleigh. Although not a prominent vehicular corridor, the Blackwell/Corcoran
St crossing is a significant north-south link in the Triangle’s regional Greenway network, which is the
most connected metro area along the entire East Coast Greenway.

Therefore, we strongly encourage GoTriangle to carefully consider the transportation impacts of this
closure on the bicycle and pedestrian commuters using this crossing daily. We urge GoTriangle to
provide safe and convenient biking and walking access at the Blackwell/Corcoran Street crossing by
incorporating the proposed pedestrian and bicycle bridge into the station design. We also encourage
GoTriangle to invest in meaningful and equitable community engagement around the proposed bridge
design. We look forward to supporting this work and contributing to the project’s success.

Sincerely,

Dennis Markatos-Soriano Kathryn Zeringue

Executive Director VA & NC Greenway Coordinator
cc: James H. Trogdon III, Secretary of Transportation, State of North Carolina
Steve Schewel, Mayor, City of Durham
Terry Bellamy, Director of Transportation, City of Durham
Scott M. Saylor, President, North Carolina Railroad Company