[{"_1":2,"_86":-5,"_87":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":44,"_46":47,"_48":49,"_50":51,"_52":53,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":59,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":65,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},"mediaId",6504438,"mediaKeyId","5653715-72b184af37e7bec15f0b333130c03dba","parentId",5653715,"title","Council hears community-led vision for Durham Freeway: boulevard, caps or modernization under study","audioSeconds",0,"startMs",3248000,"endMs","viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5653715-72b184af37e7bec15f0b333130c03dba&start=3248&end=3248","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5653715-72b184af37e7bec15f0b333130c03dba/thumbnail_3248000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6504438/Durham-City/Durham-County/North-Carolina/Council-hears-community-led-vision-for-Durham-Freeway-boulevard-caps-or-modernization-under-study","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6504438-b57a34b7157f3fd33b31dd060d21319c/orig.mp4?Expires=1770956434&Signature=j4IdPRy2eqiiJRGX-QjUaxcqWOPPq0kf2M~dfveGLis-IdBJQGcLyxR5-nHj44yoCgAigBd8fzONFf2detq~Inm9XWLxSEyn-lvwg4T1XscbKizTC1T2QpWLIGIFVQwJ5xstaztjn1Wc8~C2fFSVZAZQhc9GMebd84DpQewXSqAaW6jJf~m08KdgjV8wM4sX-j~oO8SXMCGY5vwR~FchjykzwWEJnwl8ua96PDS43L6VAuCbPUAYfNOf~1DwCEAbTbmjJxd8g7Zj~idO1BiOz4W-lm~LwVj1AYIBD2YQgGsZ967vZQlg6Ax2Sd7zeM0~~o00HvZJB7yz81u8o3S9bQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Durham","date","2025-08-21T20:45:48.457Z","article","City transportation staff presented a community-led vision study for the Durham Freeway (NC-147), outlining three corridor concepts — conversion to an at-grade urban boulevard, selective \"caps\" or land bridges, and a modernization that tightens the freeway footprint while retaining limited-access function.

Assistant Transportation Director Evian Patterson said the study, branded \"Pathways to Connection,\" began with outreach that emphasized the historical harms caused when the freeway cut through predominantly Black neighborhoods including Hayti, removing homes and businesses. \"This study is rooted on a foundation\" of prior plans and community input, Patterson said, listing Move Durham (2020) and Durham's 2023 comprehensive plan as framing documents.

Transportation Planning Manager Aaron Convery described the three corridor options and their tradeoffs. The boulevard conversion would remove limited-access lanes through the downtown segment and create sidewalks, transit access, slower vehicle speeds and up to 20'22 acres reclaimed for parks, housing, or other uses; the study's travel-modeling indicated regional traffic would shift to I-85 and I-40. The land-bridge option would preserve the freeway but build caps (identified candidate locations near Fayetteville Street, Mangum Street and west of Duke Street) to reconnect neighborhoods and create park or development parcels above the highway. The modernization option would retain the limited-access freeway but tighten its cross section and reclaim an estimated 14 acres for green infrastructure or a linear park.

Patterson and Convery gave order-of-magnitude cost ranges: the modernization concept roughly estimated at $350 million, the boulevard conversion at about $450 million, and caps at $450'$800 million depending on phasing and number of caps. The presenters stressed estimates are high-level and would be refined in subsequent engineering phases.

The staff-led engagement found strongest public support for the boulevard and cap options over a modernization-only approach. The presenters highlighted examples from other U.S. cities: Rochester'NY's removal of the Inner Loop and conversion to a boulevard, Denver's Central 70 partial lowering with a park above, and Winston-Salem's I-40 Business reconstruction as reference projects.

Tara Kinchen of Durham Next said the newly formed nonprofit would be willing to convene partners — including NCDOT, the Triangle regional planning organization, and regional transit authorities — to study engineering feasibility, funding options and partner roles. \"Durham Next is willing to work with the staff of the transportation department to convene a group of transportation stakeholders,\" she said, and noted that institutional partners could help assemble the technical and financial analyses the project would require.

Council members asked technical and procedural questions. Several asked how NCDOT, which owns the freeway, would engage and what portion of costs the state might cover; staff said modernization aligns most closely with a traditional NCDOT project and that the department has been collaborating with NCDOT staff through the study. Council members also asked about ownership models for reclaimed acreage and stressed that any redevelopment must prioritize affordable housing and minimize displacement; staff said those policy choices would be critical in later project phases.

Next steps described by staff include finalizing the vision plan, continued coordination with NCDOT, and technical feasibility work. City staff indicated the vision plan could be completed by the end of the calendar year and that Durham Next and other institutional partners may help convene engineering and funding assessments.

Ending: Council members expressed broad interest in continuing the study and asked staff to bring further technical analysis and economic-impact information, including potential funding paths and ownership models for reclaimed land, before decisions about preferred alternatives are made.
","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Durham City Council Work Session August 21, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","A city study proposing three alternatives for NC-147 through central Durham\u0000'conversion to an at-grade boulevard, construction of land-bridge caps, or modernization of the freeway\u0000'was presented to council; the city said community engagement favored the boulevard and caps and next steps include technical study and partner coordination.","taxTitle","Durham City, Durham County, North Carolina","taxId",5766,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_46":80,"_48":81,"_50":82,"_52":83,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":84,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":85,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6504442,"Durham police report overall drops in violent and property crime; staffing climbs",3374,3106000,6480000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5653715-72b184af37e7bec15f0b333130c03dba&start=3106&end=6480","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5653715-72b184af37e7bec15f0b333130c03dba/thumbnail_3106000.jpg","/articles/6504442/Durham-City/Durham-County/North-Carolina/Durham-police-report-overall-drops-in-violent-and-property-crime-staffing-climbs","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6504442-8b3270a7e8a01af255780367c25928d9/orig.mp4?Expires=1770956434&Signature=bhbJOBlk6E~BoxwWnunAhAXOryRpAvA8EW8-hYOutyaG-etS1ME442XsoPMrrEozGDp2rRhz5dQxVZi--pdt7g7YRALqKvKmxHs96fLiBhvKEKZgyPkO4vTTziw9sWJikJSQS1rAMw31sIQdbG7icoRG5nrdQ0FEhkZNLLBnn7Eop~EI6yn5JUgIbQcqiM5vji5JCGXx6NwV-~o7Rl6wVwHAwUL7Z4L9nNgYuRiT~KORa~XWjGVDYufP~Ld7lHJON157SQP8qlsmGkXpQFKK5NNgZOa3CEkKxCGp91-QsXNMkvgKzz5SROG0FV1nVlXjLh~9CsOIUOslT3NJR8ckQg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Durham Police Department told the City Council that overall violent crime is down nearly 20% through the second quarter of 2025 and that property crime fell about 4% over the same period.

Chief of Police Patrice Andrews presented the department's Q2 report and said the decline shows in several measures: 19 reportable homicides through the second quarter (17 classed as criminal homicides), a 33.6% decrease in persons shot, and reductions in robberies and aggravated assaults. \"Violent crime being down nearly 20%\" was how Andrews summarized the trend in her opening remarks.

The chief cautioned council members that citywide averages can obscure concentrated impacts: residents in neighborhoods with higher violence may not feel the citywide decline. She also highlighted the department's clearance performance, reporting homicide clearances around 89% and ongoing federal case adoptions that the department credits with reducing violent recidivism. Andrews said, \"Since 01/01/2025 to 08/01/2025, there have been 44 total federal case adoptions,\" and noted Criminal Investigations Division adoptions over the past 24 months as well.

Andrews told the council that part of the department's progress stems from a focused effort to remove repeat violent offenders. She said those efforts have included close work with U.S. Attorney's Office task forces and the adoption of cases for federal prosecution.

The report also addressed shootings and firearms: the department seized 326 firearms through the second quarter, and noted an overall increase in firearms stolen since 2020, with a large share taken from motor vehicles. The chief said 73% of stolen guns reported in recent periods were taken from motor vehicles.

On staffing, Durham Police said recruiting and retention efforts are producing results. The department reported being 75.2% staffed at the time of the presentation (24.8% vacant). Andrews said the department will graduate a Basic Law Enforcement Training academy class of 10 recruits in the month following the report and that recruiting classes have grown, with higher Hispanic and female representation in recent intakes. \"We're starting with 38 and we have 2 laterals that will be joining us,\" she said when describing the next academy class.

Council members asked for more spatial detail and age breakdowns for victims and offenders; Andrews agreed to provide neighborhood-level trends and noted that juveniles are increasingly involved in serious violent incidents in the city. Council members said they want richer demographic and geographic breakdowns to align prevention and school-based strategies.

The department said it will continue outreach on gun safety after hosting a firearm-safety clinic for residents and will press on with the recruiting and retention programs that their data show are improving staffing levels and investigative capacity.

Ending: The council did not take action on the report during the session; members thanked the chief and staff and asked for follow-up materials including neighborhood-level crime trends, age breakdowns for offenders and victims, and further detail on federal case adoptions.
","The Durham Police Department reported declines in violent and property crimes through the second quarter of 2025 and said recruiting and federal partnerships are helping reduce repeat offenders, while staffing continues to recover.","actionData","errors"]

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Council hears community-led vision for Durham Freeway: boulevard, caps or modernization under study

Durham police report overall drops in violent and property crime; staffing climbs