by Sean Jeans-Gail While it is commonly asserted that passenger rail only makes sense in the Northeast, there are dozens of thriving rail systems around the U.S. that prove otherwise. Durham, North Carolina is just one such example, boasting the heavily utilized GoTriangle light rail service. The city isn’t content with what they’ve already achieved, however. In 2020, Durham and Orange County will be starting construction on an 18-mile electric rail line. It will serve three of the ten largest employers in North Carolina and two-thirds of Durham Housing Authority homes. The line will also connect directly to a planned commuter rail line that will run between Durham and Raleigh, with a shuttle to the airport. In an op-ed written by Steve Schewel (Mayor of Durham,) Wendy Jacobs (chair of the Durham County Board of Commissioners), and Ellen Reckhow (County Commissioner and chair of the GoTriangle Board of Trustees), Continue reading...
