The Durham-to-Roxboro Rail Trail plan offers many potential benefits to the community. It aims to improve physical and mental health by providing a safe path away from busy streets, access to nature, and sustainable transportation options. The plan seeks to support local businesses by increasing foot traffic and patronage nearby the trail. Additionally, it aims to share the area’s history and local stories, fostering community connection. Through ongoing community input, the plan is designed to ensure the trail meets residents’ needs and enhances life in the area.

The rail line from Downtown Durham to Roxboro, once a vital freight route for agricultural goods like tobacco and textiles, ceased operations in the early 1980s. Since then, turning the unused rail line into a trail has been a long-standing goal of the community. The Little River Corridor Open Space Plan, adopted in 1991, identified the Durham-to-Roxboro Rail Trail as an ideal opportunity for a multi-use trail for hikers, bikers, and equestrians. Despite previous attempts by the City of Durham in the 1990s to purchase the corridor, Norfolk Southern, the current owner, was not interested in selling until recently.

However, the desire for this rail trail has remained strong in the community, with advocates continuing to push for this planning study and a future trail. Since the 1991 Little River Corridor Open Space Plan, several Durham County and City adopted plans have included the Durhamto-Roxboro Rail Trail, highlighting its ongoing importance. These plans include the 2001 and 2011 Trails and Greenways Master Plan, the 2006 Durham County Capital Improvement Plan, and the 2023 Comprehensive Plan. The trail has been consistently prioritized within the community, with a focus on incorporating it into a regional greenway vision and emphasizing the need for alternative transportation options in both the City and County.

So, with the railway’s recent interest in selling the corridor and the history of trail advocacy in Durham, the City of Durham and Durham County requested federal funding through the Triangle West Transportation Planning Organization and included matching funds in the FY24 budgets to fund this trail plan

The Durham-to-Roxboro Rail Trail Plan was funded through the Triangle West Transportation Planning Organization’s FY2025 work plan (also referred to as the Unified Planning Work Program). The total cost of the planning study is $500,000. The Triangle West TPO Policy Board approved $400,000 for this plan using Surface Transportation Block Grant - Direct Allocation (STBG-DA) federal funds that are available to Triangle West for planning studies. A local match of $100,000 was required for use of these federal funds, which was split evenly between Durham County, City of Durham, and the East Coast Greenway Alliance.

As one of its functions, the Triangle West Transportation Planning Organization - which serves as the metropolitan planning organization (MPO) responsible for coordination of regional transportation planning for the western Triangle - administers planning studies of regional significance within its planning area. (Click here for information about Triangle West’s planning area). Member jurisdictions of Triangle West may request federal funds that flow through the MPO to conduct planning studies, which require a local match. The Durham-to-Roxboro Rail Trail Plan for Durham County was requested by Durham County and the City of Durham. Funding consideration for this study underwent a public comment period as part of Triangle West’s requested FY2025 work program, which was approved by the Triangle West Policy Board.

Additional planning studies being conducted in Durham that are leveraging federal funds available through Triangle West include the Reimagine Durham Freeway Study, the Durham Bike + Walk Plan Update and the US 70 East Corridor Study

Currently, the corridor is not being considered for other transportation modes. The Durham County Transit Plan is the long-range vision plan for how the county’s transit funding resources are spent to improve public transit. This corridor is not included in that plan as the priority is on other corridors with higher density population and employment centers and more existing transit ridership. In addition, the cost of light rail is very expensive and a project like this may not be financially feasible.

There are many transit services and improvements that are being funded in northern Durham County including the expansion of service on GoDurham Routes 4 and 9, bus stop improvements, a north Durham microtransit zone, and demand response/paratransit improvements for all residents of the County. Passenger rail service improvements on the existing Amtrak routes serving Durham are also under consideration.

While safety concerns are common with new trails and public spaces, studies show that trails can reduce crime in communities by increasing visibility, attracting more pedestrians and cyclists to an area, and boosting natural surveillance. As more people utilize the trail, it helps create a safer, more welcoming environment. The transformation of unused rail corridors into trails has been linked with crime reduction due to increased foot-traffic and trail usage, reduced vehicle-related injuries among cyclists and pedestrians as they provide paths separated from car traffic, and other health and well-being benefits due to improved physical activity. Our team is also committed to learning more about specific safety concerns along the trail to best mitigate these through planning and design. This could look like additional fencing, privacy screening, lighting, regular security and monitoring along the trail, etc.

The “Social Justice as it Pertains to Safety on the American Tobacco Trail” study by NC Rails to-Trails explored how trail design and community involvement impact crime and safety perceptions. After a 2011 crime spike, the study used community data and public input to assess safety. It found low crime on the trail overall, but perceptions of safety were impacted by areas like the Fayetteville Street intersection, which had higher crime and design which could contribute to this increase. The study emphasizes community input and suggests improvements like better lighting and natural surveillance to enhance safety.

The Durham-to-Roxboro Rail Trail Plan aims to respect, protect, and enhance the natural environment. The trail will improve access to green spaces and provide opportunities for environmental education and conservation. By repurposing an abandoned rail corridor, the trail will help reduce environmental degradation and promote sustainability. The trail development will also adhere to watershed overlay district requirements and environmental standards within the Unified Development Ordinance to ensure it meets local environmental protections

We recognize hunting season is a concern and are exploring ways to address it without closing the trail. Options include creating buffer zones with vegetation or additional space between the trail and hunting areas, and using fencing in key spots to define boundaries. Clear signage could also be used to inform users about hunting seasons and nearby hunting zones. We are committed to working with the community to find a solution that ensures safety for everyone.