Triangle rail project delayed by low rating

The Triangle Transit Authority is headed back to the drawing board, and plans for the $810 million Triangle Rail Project have been put on hold after the Federal Transit Administration gave the project a low rating in December.

"We've been given a low rating, which means currently we would not be eligible to move toward a federal funding agreement and construction," said Brad Schulz, a TTA communications officer.

The FTA calculates the cost effectiveness of each potential project in order to determine its rating. The projected number of riders as well as the financial costs of the project are also germane in the decision, he said.

Schulz said a cost effectiveness of 2,199 or below is required to receive a medium rating, which permits projects to receive federal funding.

He blamed a faulty model used to calculate the number of potential riders for the project's low rating.

When 180,000 more riders were plugged into the formula for cost effectiveness, which normally would lower the cost effectiveness, the TTA found that its formula produced higher numbers than before, Schulz said.

The TTA is competing against more than 200 other transit projects that are either in initial evaluation or moving toward construction, Schulz said, but he pointed out that the Triangle's project is a priority.

"We're right at the top," he said. "We're moving close to getting funding."

After missing the Dec. 15 deadline for a medium rating, and thus not receiving approval for funding in the fiscal year 2006 federal budget, the project has until Sept. 30 to improve its rating and get on the 2007 budget, Schulz said.

"We've got a date on the calendar," he said. "We're going to do what we can to meet that deadline, satisfy the FTA and advance toward building the rail system and operating it efficiently."

The TTA is hoping to receive funding from the government for 60 percent of the project costs, Schulz said.

The project was dealt a surprise blow from its own corner when N.C. Sens. Richard Burr and Elizabeth Dole sent a letter to the TTA recommending that they move on from the rail project and explore different options.

"We were a little surprised that they would send us a letter with several months of work yet to do," Schulz said. "We hope once those issues have been resolved, that Senators Dole and Burr will re-evaluate their support of the project."

"We're hoping that once we complete this work, they'll come back and say, 'You've done a good job. How can we help you?'"

 

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