The Greater Triangle Commuter Rail Project is in its final study phase, and GoTriangle + Triangle J Council of Governments released the affordable housing analysis.

The project

The commuter rail project has been in the works since 2019, and would connect areas like Duke, Downtown Durham, NC Central, RTP, Cary, NC State + Downtown Raleigh. The project is included in Wake and Durham counties’ transit plans and would be ~43 miles, running from west Durham into Garner or Clayton.

“More than 40,000 households in the Triangle metro region have no car available,” Charles Lattuca, president + CEO of GoTriangle, said in a press release. “Fortunately, the Greater Triangle Commuter Rail Project would be the spine of our regional transit network that also will include several connected bus rapid transit projects and an expansion of bus service.”

Affordable housing

As a part of the final phase, the TJCOG conducted the “Close to Home” study, an analysis of affordable housing along the Triangle’s passenger rail corridor. The study found 27% of existing affordable housing in Wake, Durham + Johnston counties is within a mile of the rail corridor.

In Wake County, the average household spends 56% of income on housing + transportation, according to the study. The commuter rail would aim to balance that spending.

The study also found that along the corridor, Wake County has 159 opportunity sites — publicly owned parcels where affordable housing could be built.

“No single effort is likely to move the needle: a variety of strategies to preserve + create affordable housing will be required to have a meaningful impact,” the study said.

Next steps

After the final phase is completed, governing bodies will decide early next year whether to pursue the federal funds needed for the project.

You can sign up for updates on the project’s website + interested groups can request a presentation through Tues., Aug. 31.