BCR's Daily Fishwrap Report for December 21, 2009

Besides the weather -- which seemed to get a disproportionate amount of attention from the print media this weekend for the actual storm itself, though that certainly reflected people's interests -- there's a few stories worth noting from this morning and recent days.

Next Steps for DCABP Oppo Unclear: The N&O has one of the better post-mortems on the Durham Committee's eligibility-restricted vote that saw Lavonia Allison re-elected by less than two dozen of the 200+ residents who turned out. Opponents still grouse about what they imply was the exclusion of individuals thought to be eligible without a clear paper trail as to why, but it's not clear whether a movement to replace the Committee with a competitive group would draw interest -- or whether interest can or would be maintained for getting opponents of the current regine to hang out at enough meetings to be enfranchised next time around. (The Durham News)

Rolling Hills Gets Next Look: The city-linked developers proposing revitalization on the Rolling Hills site will make their case to residents for bringing the parcel within the downtown zoning tier to allow more density and mixed residential/commercial zoning; meanwhile, the City Council gets a project update at a special Tuesday meeting. Both are part of an accelerated move forward for the project to meet deadlines for federal and state government funding and tax credits. (The Durham News)

Bowser Crusades for Lower Train Speeds: After the recent death of two children when their car was struck by an Amtrak train while their vehicle was sitting on the tracks at Ellis Rd., the BOCC's Joe Bowser is arguing the need for lower speeds for trains passing through Durham. It's a matter that's in federal hands, and the state's move to apply for stimulus dollars for train improvements seems likely to create more at-grade separations, or full closures of roads where trains pass through. (Herald-Sun)

DATA Buses Get Help: City officials are moving ahead with purchasing new engines from Cummins for relatively-new DATA buses, after their existing and troubled engines from long-ago GM company Detroit Diesel frequently left transit buses more resembling the snide remark about Ford vehicles: Found On Road Dead. An earmark courtesy of Congressman David Price is funding about half of the buy. (Herald-Sun)

Durham's Hilton Gets a New Owner: Durham's Hilton Hotel on Hillsborough Rd. has a new owner after Interstate Hotels and Resorts was acquired jointly by a Maryland-based real estate investment firm and China's largest hotel group. Interstate had also been the named partner of Greenfire Development in the Hill Building's renovation and rehab into a boutique hotel (we're checking with the company to see what if any impact is known to those efforts.) (TBJ)

Habitat Gets Grants, Peterson Learns About "Volunteers": Durham Habitat for Humanity got funds from the City to buy five lots needing new homes, but not before the very present Victoria Peterson complained that the non-profit that depends on volunteer labor ought to hire more local workers to create jobs. Councilman Eugene Brown pointedly noted that Habitat hires some paid skilled tradesman and has an ex-offenders program -- a longtime lobbying point by Peterson on a range of issues. (Herald-Sun)

Streetlight Cost Increase Flagged: Sherri Rosenthal of the City Attorney's office noticed amidst a rate hike for Duke Energy a cost increase that would have hit cities like Durham for much higher costs on streetlights. Rate increases were lowered, and capital costs for new lights broken out from operating expenses, making it easier for the City to push the cap-ex for those to developers and new subdivisions. (Herald-Sun)

Avaya Gobbles Up Nortel Division: The Enterprise Solutions Division of Nortel is officially in the hands of the Garden State's Avaya. It's absorbed 6,000 Nortellers worldwide, including 230 in RTP. (TBJ)

Little Partner Leaves: The local partner in Little Diversified Architectural Consulting is leaving the Durham offices of the firm in American Tobacco to start his own non-profit, Re:Vision America. (TBJ)

DTCC Misses Breach: We're not really sure why community colleges in the state ever used your driver's license or SSNs to track library books -- but by being one of the first community colleges to comply with a state recommendation to ditch 'em, DTCC students missed being impacted by a server security breach impacting 51,000 patrons statewide. (Herald-Sun)

Gun Crime to be Focus: The Durham Police Department will launch a new campaign in 2010 to raise awareness over gun violence, including strategies on curtailing gun-related crimes and encouraging calls to the police or crimestoppers. (Herald-Sun)

Comments

[Chris]

As tragic as the train accident at Ellis Rd. was, the speed of the train had little to do with it. Heavy rail passenger trains are massive machines and cannot stop quickly. I fail to see how reducing the speed limit might have prevented to this accident.

[Jeremy T]

Great, as if the trains weren't crappy enough already, let's make them *slower*.

Clearly Bowser just wants to look 'tough on trains,' without any thought given to whether such a measure would have any impact at all. There's just no way you can provide complete safety for people who disregard traffic regulations.

[Bull City Rising]

@Jeremy, Chris -- I actually can see where Bowser's coming from to a certain degree on this. Yes, I don't disagree that you should never, ever, ever stop on tracks or go around gates, etc. But on the flip side, the real solution here is removing as many at-grade connections as possible, through overpasses/underpasses or the like.

Which is not to say some of what NCDOT might ask for won't be objectionable, particularly downtown, where we've spent too many millions reconnect the city center and ATC districts to want to split 'em apart again. But bottom line, the bridge and overpass projects are good for better car/ped safety, and for faster trains -- because we need more and faster trains, not slower ones.

Joe has more experience running trains than I (or anyone in local politics) do. I'm intrigued by his comment of the increase over time in train speeds, which would fit with issues of line-of-sight and other problems increasing risk. If train speeds did need to be dropped, though, it would have to be on a temporary basis until grade crossing separations get put in place.

[Angel R]

I completely agree with Bull City Rising that "the real solution here is removing as many at-grade connections as possible, through verpasses/underpasses." I envision burying the rail line underground through downtown. That would solve the safety issue. It would also trains to go faster and it would also reconnect both sides of the city divided by the railroad line.

Over 20 years ago Spain made the choice of eliminating every single at-grade crossing in urban areas. Spain is about the size of Texas so I think North Carolina would be able to do it.

Train speed is not the issue. And some drivers should reconsider their bad habits. I use the Swift/Broad Street crossing and frequently see drivers not stopping at the recommended line. Instead, they stop right on top of the tracks. Not very smart if the barriers start coming down.