Officials Attend Groundbreaking for Durham Bus Station Renovations

The downtown Durham Bus Station is getting a major facelift.

On Monday, public officials and other stakeholders met on the second floor of the downtown bus station to celebrate the groundbreaking for a $26 million dollar renovation to the transportation hub. Mayor Leonardo Williams said the renovated station, which was originally designed by nationally-renowned architect Phil Freelon, would allow the station’s 14,000 daily riders to “have a renewed transportation experience as they traverse the Triangle.”

“As Durham continues to be one of the nation’s fastest growing cities, we will have to continue to invest in our infrastructure to ensure that it meets the needs of our ever-growing population,” Williams continued. “Now, this project delivers on that vision and develops a system that will allow Durham residents visitors to experience a world-class facility to all their destinations.”

In 2022, the City of Durham Transportation Department was awarded $10.8 million from the Federal Transit Administration. An additional $13.5 million match comes from the Durham County Transit Plan. Funding will go toward aesthetic and functional improvements to the station that will enhance the overall rider experience. The new station will grow from 20 to 28 bus bays, increasing the volume of buses that can pass through the station. Plans also include adding more electric buses to the city’s fleet. GoDurham already operates eight electric buses. Durham Transportation Director Sean Egan says the city hopes to add 18 more in the next several years. 

Transplants to the Triangle often move from cities where public transit is a feature of everyday life, but in Durham, only about 4.6 percent of the population rides the bus on a regular basis. Many riders rely on the service for transport to work, school, or health care facilities. The city’s transportation department has invested millions to improve bus service for current riders by building new signage, more bus shelters, as well as increasing the speed and volume of bus trips. Mike Lee, newly-elected Durham County Commissioner, said the investment in Durham’s public transit is a show of gratitude toward the city’s blue-collar workers who rely on the bus for their livelihood.

“When we think about those 14,000 riders who use Durham station every day, many of them are essential workers,” Lee said. “Now, we’re investing $26 million in a facility used by essential workers every day to provide better, safer, and more convenient transportation, and to do so in a setting that demonstrates, at a glance, that Durham is a community that values essential workers.”

In March 2020, the city council made buses free to ride to reduce the spread of COVID-19. GoDurham buses have remained fare-free since 2020 in part thanks to leftover ARPA grant funding, while some fares across the GoTriangle system have returned. The city council and city staff will decide whether to renew Durham’s commitment to fare-free buses during next year’s budget discussions.

The City of Durham has made considerable investments in transportation. In October, the city council voted 7-0 to adopt new design standards for Durham’s transit system. Those standards will guide new construction projects funded by the streets and sidewalks bond that passed in November and additional projects across the city in an effort to make transportation safer and more accessible.

The new bus station won’t just increase capacity for Durham transit riders. GoTriangle will also have more capacity to continue offering regional transit options to Raleigh, Chapel Hill, and the Research Triangle. In Raleigh, city officials are in the process of improving the Raleigh Union Station bus facility (known as the RUS bus), which is scheduled to open next year. 

After the collapse of the light rail project, local officials have had to pivot to new options for regional transit. Brenda Howerton, former Durham county commissioner, has been GoTriangle board chair since 2021. She said the renovated bus station is part of the organization’s larger vision for a more connected transit system that prioritizes public transportation, a sentiment shared by many of the officials present at the groundbreaking.

“It is our commitment to the citizens of Durham and the region to build a future we want to see for Durham and the Triangle region,” Howerton said. “The [Durham] station enhancements provide an example for communities across the nation of what is possible when we come together and prioritize equity and sustainability in our transportation plans.” 

Officials say construction should take two years to complete, and that the station will remain operational during construction.

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