Council hears details on Junction Road paratransit design, BRT readiness and electric‑bus rollout

Durham’s transportation director told council the design services item before the body covers the initial phases of work needed to advance the Junction Road paratransit facility and related BRT readiness. Director Sean Egan said staff procured a full package of construction services but split work into phases according to current funding; the contract on the agenda covers roughly $2.2 million for initial design and schematic work.

Egan said the total preconstruction effort — the work needed to reach 100% design and to be competitive for federal grants — is estimated at about $15 million. The city has roughly $5 million available now and has requested the remainder (about $10.5 million) in the FY ’27 Durham County Transit Work Program to fully fund preconstruction activities. "Once we have that schematic done," Egan said, "that will position us to be very competitive for federal grants." He added that if the county funding is secured, staff expects to return in fall 2026 with an amendment that would add the 100% design phase.

Council members also questioned the broader transit and fleet strategy. Egan described the city’s ongoing shift to battery-electric buses: 14 were ordered previously and some are already in service, with additional buses arriving so the fleet will reach about 22 battery-electric buses. He explained electric buses cost roughly double a diesel bus up front but show lower maintenance costs per mile. "We're seeing lower maintenance costs per mile for the electric buses," Egan said. He cautioned that long-term midlife capital needs for batteries and repower campaigns remain an open question and that future purchases will be reevaluated against the federal funding landscape.

Councilmembers asked for local, per-mile modeling of fuel and maintenance savings; staff said analysis is underway and the city participates in a Zero Emissions Bus Resource Alliance to share peer data. Bike Durham and other public commenters urged council to support the facility funding, describing its value for bus reliability and fleet maintenance.