Ken Larsen's web site - Environmental implications of DOLRT (Durham-Orange Light Rail)
DOLRT is
not green.
Many people
will drive cars or take buses to get to a station.
This will concentrate air pollution along the DOLRT route.
The over 40
at-grade sections of the DOLRT will continually stop and start traffic.
[details] That will increase
air pollution, because an idle car spews far more carbon monoxide than a moving
car.
Alex Cabanes |
If you look at Leigh Village (brand new development proposal on
Durham green fields adjacent to Little Creek watershed), the
proposed 90-acre Leigh Village Compact Neighborhood development will
include:
Also, from an environmental perspective … Park&Rides actually
aggravate pollution emissions. Simply put, a car’s catalytic
converter works best when the car is hot. So while the car is
warming up or cooling down, that is when the majority of the
pollutants escape the system into the air. So the key is to keep the
car at an optimal (hot) temperature.
In contrast, the LRT takes on average 63K BTU per
vehicle mile (vs car ~ 4.8K BTU) … so you need to ensure that the
passenger load factor is sufficiently high to offset the higher
energy costs associated with moving 100 ton train (that stops&starts
2700 times a day = 18 stations X 150 trains a day). So using data
from US Dept of Energy, that means that the DOLRT needs to have a
minimum of 21 passengers AT ALL TIMES, just to break even with car
transit. https://smarttransitfuture.org/2015/08/28/myth-environmental/
And then there is the CO2 release from cement usage
(see Cement Wiki or end of article @ https://smarttransitfuture.org/2015/08/28/myth-environmental/)
The proposed Durham-Orange Light Rail train has NO new renewable energy requirement and electricity sourced from Duke Energy which has been repeatedly cited for environmental transgressions. Duke Energy generates electricity primarily with nuclear, gas (sourced from ‘fracking’) and coal power plants. The Political Economy Research Institute ranks Duke Energy 13th among corporations emitting airborne pollutants in the United States. The ranking is based on the quantity (80 million pounds in 2005) and toxicity of the emissions. When the high energy costs and carbon emissions during construction are counted, the light-rail line is far “browner” than autos and highways. |
Lisa Brach |
Wet lands between Garrett Rd and University feed into New Hope. However, the greatest impact on New Hope wetlands will be the placement of the ROMF (Rail Operations and Maintenance Facility) with its accompanying Rail Yard on the Farrington Rd site (as planned)! During heavy rains the New Hope wetlands as well as the Trenton neighborhood backing up to New Hope wetlands and Leigh Farm already flood. The culvert from Farrington Rd goes under I-40 and literally dumps into that area. Now imagine how much the runoff will magnify with all the impervious surface and necessary grading to build a ROMF and Rail Yard (approx 20-25 acres in size). Ask any of the Trenton folks, especially those with wells, and they can tell you how big their negative impact will be - just from the ROMF and Rail Yard!!" - |
Will Raymond |
DOLRT and
all its attendant private development within 5 key watersheds, a gamesland and a
wildlife refuge is antithetical to good environmental stewardship. |
At the April 4, 2017 BOCC meeting Tom Farmer cited Minneapolis as a stellar example of light rail success. [Tom's speech] Well, it has pollution and traffic problems. [pollution details] [traffic details]