Durham Multimodal Center

[JunktionFET]

We have a lot of representatives from Wake County here (Raleigh/Cary) and as such, it gets discussed a lot. The Triangle region's other half often gets left out, so I thought I would create this thread and perhaps others to keep people updated.

I sometimes forget about Durham or blow it off. I make fun of Durham's dangerous reputation... but really I've never been harrassed even in the bad parts of town, and downtown Durham is one of the safest neighborhoods in the entire city.

Historic downtown Durham has a character that Raleigh lacks. It has a tight core that is already rather lively at times thanks to small redevelopment projects that have occured in the last decade or so. Things are ramping up in the core and are going to get a whole lot more exciting. Some wonderful and lively neighborhoods exist right in the heart of downtown Durham, Duke University is a stone's throw from some of them, and the city has a great freeway infrastructure.

So anyway, I'll be posting some project information that I've been collecting. Feel free to add your own comments or project information.

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Durham has a bus system called DATA, and the city is served by the Piedmont intercity train as well as the Carolinian which provides service from Charlotte to NYC. Durham has several stops along the proposed TTA Phase I regional rail line, and some very thoughtfully designed TODs have been discussed for the downtown station.

The new downtown transit station is a large "inter-modal" station much like that which has been designed for Raleigh (though not as elaborate as Raleigh's). It will incorporate city buses, TTA buses, taxis, long-range buses, Amtrak passenger rail, High speed rail, and of course, TTA Regional rail. The design that was drawn a couple months ago has the station divided into three distinct sections, positioned on each side of a downtown street (connected via a pedestrian bridge).

For more information on this project, see http://www.durham-nc.com/bullseye/Vol4Issu...rhamstation.htm

Here are some drawings and models:

[monsoon]

Wow, that is a great station in Durham. I had no idea they were planning something so nice there. Thanks for posting that. It would seem that NC is doing a very good job at attempting to revive rail travel in the state.

[yfreemark]

Here are some pictures of the new Durham Bus/Greyhound/Taxi facility, to be ready in 2007. From the Freelon Group website, http://www.freelon.com.

[NCMike1981]

that's pretty! I like how they chose a modern design, it will help create a contrast in downtown

[ChiefJoJo]

That's awesome! I love it.

[triguyrdu]

NICE! I can't wait.

[jlblaes]

Who is going to wash all of those windows ?

[orulz]

Wow, what a trip. I like. Wasn't there supposed to be some retail integrated in this project? I doubt they need so much space just for buses and passengers.

The integration of the TTA rail station (the bridge over Chapel Hill St on the left of the first image and right of the second) is just great. Well, I wish it were a covered bridge - but no huge problem.

However, I wish that Amtrak could have been integrated as well. I'm sure the new station will be nice in the Walker Warehouse but I'd rather have a single facility with everything. Maybe it's just not practical, but I think that would make the whole complex a lot easier to understand. At any rate, anything is better than the Amshack they're using now.

[yfreemark]

I think that the retail is supposed to be on the second floor, inside. At one meeting, there was some talk of making the sidewalk leading up to the pedestrian bridge extra wide to accomodate cafe tables and chairs, but I'm not sure if that's still in the program. I agree with the problems about integrating Amtrak - the biggest problem of all is that Amtrak's station will be on the other side of the tracks, and to cross the tracks (which you have to do, because technically, pedestrians aren't supposed to cross between official "crossings"), you'll have to go all the way down to Duke St or go under the tracks further down Chapel Hill St. That sucks for transfers. They really should work on making some kind of overhead bridge or underground tunnel to facilitate movement. That would help out with the access from West Village to the TTA and DATA stations.

[orulz]

I agree that a tunnel would be nice.

I'd like to see a tunnel under all the tracks clear from the Walker Warehouse to the TTA station, with access to both platforms. They might even extend the tunnel all the way to Chapel Hill Street and make it a pedestrian connection, too. Anyway, that's just what I thought after looking at maps and aerials, but it may not be practical - and tunnels can attract loiterers so it might not be safe either.

And with a tunnel, the facilities are linked - but still seperate. Having everything under the same roof is a good thing.

The bridge over Chapel Hill Street will be at the same elevation as the TTA/RR tracks. To get to the TTA tracks, you have to walk across the eastbound TTA tracks to get to the platform. Making people walk across the tracks to get to a platform seems a tad dangerous, but it certainly saves money.

[urbanesq]

Looks very mod. I like it; should be an eclectic contrast to the historic American Tobacco and Liggett/West Village developments. Hope the retail is as extensive as possible. Does anyone know if there are plans for a direct connection to any residential?

[DanRNC]

Very impressive. The Freelon Group does some of the most innovative architecture I've seen around here.

[monsoon]

Yes, it is one of the nicest looking stations, IMO, in NC. Will it be near the station that connects to the NC Railroad?

[orulz]

Actually, this station faces the NCRR. The current, temporary Amtrak station, and the future TTA station (both of which are in the NCRR right of way) are directly across Chapel Hill Street. The bridge clearly visible on the left of the first rendering will connect with the TTA station.

The Amtrak station will be on the other side of the tracks from the TTA station, in the Walker Warehouse building. I'm a little unclear on how everything will be connected together. Will people be required to walk along Chapel Hill street? That's not exactly a "pretty" walk right now - it even feels scary at night.

I'm sure they'll do a splendid job refitting the warehouse as a train station, but to be honest I'd rather see the intercity trains (and their corresponding waiting area) housed in the new station as a comprehensive multimodal facility.

[yfreemark]

There's some talk of making the area under the bridge over Chapel Hill St more accomodating to pedestrians, i.e., less scary, and even adding a stairway up the hill for better access to the Amtrak station. The other possibility is walking down Duke St and across the tracks, but that's a farther walk.

Either way, neither of these are long term solutions - they both suck, frankly. We need some kind of overhead of underground pass through if we want to facilitate connections, but I don't really think that's going to happen any time soon.

[ChiefJoJo]

Update on this project... it sounds like there is still a lot of uncertainty about the location and whether TTA would be a part of the ultimate plan... I think they should wait until the STAC finalizes a plan... we're so close to getting it figured out, it would seem to be premature to discount one site or another at this point.

[BullDurhamer]

Update on this project... it sounds like there is still a lot of uncertainty about the location and whether TTA would be a part of the ultimate plan... I think they should wait until the STAC finalizes a plan... we're so close to getting it figured out, it would seem to be premature to discount one site or another at this point.

[serapis]

The leaders in Raleigh should be embarrassed!

[unique1rdu]

The leaders in Raleigh should be embarrassed!

[pack-man]

raleigh already has an Amtrak station, not the prettiest, but it works. i'm still a big fan of seaboard station.

[orulz]

It took Durham a long time to get this project rolling. At the point this thread was started over three years ago, the renderings were already fairly old (1-2 years?)

Raleigh still has Moore Square Station for its buses. While seemingly at capacity, it's adequate. Durham's bus station is way over capacity, and it stands in the way of the two-way conversion of the loop.

Raleigh's planning an integrated multimodal station as well. This will be larger in scope and more integrated than what's planned in Durham. They're moving forward slowly, but I can understand the reluctance to go too far with the proposal until they know what sort of transit will be feeding into it.

[ChiefJoJo]

Well, this building itself technically isn't the train station, it's the DATA/TTA/Grayhound/taxi station. TTA will eventually have a rail transit stop next door across Chapel Hill St just south of the NCRR tracks, and I believe the new train station will be located in the Walker Warehouse just north of and across the NCRR tracks. Map here. Anyway, the importnat thing is that you will be able the make all your travel choices from this two-block area.

[Jones_]

^ Its all very well situated too, being between downtown proper and West Village/Liggett.

[BullDurhamer]

you can get a good sense of where this is and how the construction is coming along here:

and from the same spot look to the right side of the site, you can see ATC, Diamond View, and DBAP

[ChiefJoJo]

Took this a couple of weeks ago as I sped by on Amtrak: