Project Highlight: Durham Rail Trail

Part of the reason I started this blog was to share with y’all some of the cool updates in the urbanism world. What better way to kick this series off than with a project in my own backyard that will make my community more walkable and accessible!

The Durham Rail Trail is a 1.8 mile multi-use trail that is currently in the design process here in downtown Durham. The trail replaces an unused rail bed that was previously known as the ‘belt line,’ connecting downtown to various neighborhoods and other bike trails in town.1 Construction is expected to start in 2023, with the trail being ready for pedestrian and cyclist use the following year.2

Although this plan makes me hopeful for the future of a walkable and accessible downtown Durham, there are a few notes of caution I want to provide in my ‘assessment’ of the project, as a newly-minted Durham resident.

First and foremost, I appreciate the rail trail’s lack of environmental impact. It’s already a carbon emission-neutralizing project that encourages downtown residents to bike or walk from one neighborhood to another instead of driving there. The fact that it’s being built along a previously developed rail line is just another plus for the project. It connects Durham residents to nature and trails all throughout town without significantly disrupting said nature.

This project also effectively connects downtown residents to Durham’s public transit system. The southern end of the trail ends directly across from Durham Amtrak station and just a short walk away from the GoDurham bus depot. Upon its opening, residents within close proximity to the rail trail will have improved access to both methods of transportation, which expands the range of feasible car-free living in Durham. 

Durham’s Rail Trail, however, suffers from the infrastructure around it. Downtown Durham is riddled with crumbling sidewalks and ineffective bike lanes that make walking and biking around town an unattractive, inaccessible, and even dangerous option for many. Walking or riding on the trail may be a breeze, but getting there still poses significant challenges, particularly in disinvested areas of Durham and the surrounding, sprawling suburbs where there’s little flexibility in how people travel.

The Rail Trail is a promising first step to making Durham more accessible for all amidst rapid population growth throughout the Triangle region. However, Durham needs far more robust pedestrian, bicycle, and transit infrastructure to build a resilient and sustainable downtown for its residents rather than the cars its design mandates. These necessary infrastructure changes would make the Rail Trail an integral part of downtown Durham and help to realize a healthier, happier, more interconnected community. 

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For those who are reading that either live in the Durham area or are involved with/adjacent to the planning around this project: I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments below. Feel free to add/clarify anything you see fit!

Sources

1. ‘Durham Rail Trail,’ City of Durham. https://www.durhamnc.gov/3818/Durham-Rail-Trail

2. ‘Durham Rail Trail Project Team Seeks Input on Design and Amenities,’ City of Durham News. https://www.durhamnc.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=3220&ARC=4648#:~:text=Construction%20of%20the%20basic%20trail%2C%20which%20includes%20pavement%2C%20earthwork%2C,roughly%2018%20months%20through%202024.