Passenger rail is back in the Raleigh area news. You may have noticed the following stories since the last DLA Blog update.
- Durham officials have approved a fall public referendum to to fund local commuter rail, while Wake County plans a referendum for the following fall, hoping a more favorable economic climate will improve chances of passage.
- In the meantime, a plan for a new Downtown Raleigh Commuter Rail station is taking shape.
- Raleigh city officials are moving closer to recommending a light rail route through the Downtown.
With the focus on commuters, it’s the 30,000 government workers driving daily into the city that drive Raleigh ridership projections and elicit the political weight needed to keep the plans for light rail transit moving forward.
There is a bigger picture . . . and one that public officials appreciate, but how do we get from here to there?
Getting the initial funding approved is step one. This will begin with enhanced bus service and a 37-mile commuter (Park and Ride) rail service with stops in Cary and Downtown Raleigh.
Read the rest on Downtown Living Advocates.