Durham Rolls Out New Parks Bond Referendum Site

In November, Durham voters decide whether to approve $200 million in bonds that would improve the city’s streets, sidewalks, and parks.

With that in mind, city officials this week have launched a new web page to explain to voters how the money would be used.

About the Durham Bond Referendum

The referendum will appear on the ballot as two questions, to which voters can answer yes or no:

• Bond order authorizing the issuance of $85 million general obligation parks and recreation bonds.
• Bond order authorizing the issuance of $115 million general obligation streets and sidewalks bonds.

Each needs a majority of affirmative votes to pass. How might your tax bill change with passage? Depends on what passes.

• Only the streets and sidewalks bond: 1.99 cents added to the tax rate.
• Only the parks and recreation bond: 1.47 cents added to the tax rate.
• Both bonds: 3.46 cents added to the tax rate.

The Durham Parks Projects

The city wants to spend $43 million for a new aquatic center at Merrick-Moore Park, with an eye toward making it Durham’s most inclusively designed public water park.

This project would include zero-depth entry, a lazy river, and pool space for recreational swimming for all ages and abilities. Initial concept design was finished last year. If the bond is approved, more design and permitting would start in spring 2025. Construction would begin in 2026, with opening expected in summer 2028.

Durham officials also want to invest $42 million in improvements to Long Meadow and East End parks on Alston Avenue. The parks, previously segregated, will be connected to create a single corridor along the R. Kelly Bryant Bridge Trail. Concept work was finished in spring 2023. Like the Merrick-Moore project, bond approval would allow development to move forward, with an opening date in 2028.

Streets and Sidewalks in Durham

The city would spend $60 million on sidewalk projects, with 11 top-priority developments that would add about 12.4 miles of new sidewalks in 25 locations to address pedestrian safety issues identified in Durham’s 2017 Bike+Walk Plan. If the bond passes, construction on the first project would likely start in spring 2025.

Another $15 million would be spent to start repairs of 100 miles of sidewalks in 1,800 locations, probably starting in the summer or fall of 2025, if funded. The work could take about two years to finish.

About $30 million would cover repaving and repairing about 100 miles of city streets, with work starting in summer 2025, if the referendum passes.

The city also wants to set aside $10 million to pave about 13 miles of unpaved streets – 2.45 miles of which is expected to be paved this year. Bond approval would mean work could start on the rest in summer 2025 and finish by 2029.

Keep track of the proposed street and sidewalk projects on this interactive map published by the city.