RTA Current Priorities
RTA Highway Priorities—overall
The Regional Transportation Alliance has a series of project priorities including new or expanded freeways, improvements to existing roadways, and traffic congestion techniques.
Legislative and policy priorities
RTA maintains a list of legislative and policy priorities at regional, state, and federal level to monitor key issues and strengthen relationships to advance regional advocacy efforts.
Regional freeway system
The backbone of regional travel for automobiles, transit, and freight is the regional freeway system. The Research Triangle region, located in the northeastern Piedmont of North Carolina, has a well-developed, growing, but still incomplete freeway network.
Triangle Connector to I-85
The Triangle Connector to I-85 -- the top freeway priority of the Regional Transportation Alliance -- will provide a new direct freeway link among three major transportation routes: I-85, US 70, NC 147, and also create a new north-south freeway connection from the US 1 and I-40 freeways to I-85.
I-40 Regional Partnership Initiative
I-40 is the most heavily-traveled and congested highway in the region, with traffic counts of more than 140,000 vehicles per day near Research Triangle Park. The I-40 Regional Partnership initiative is designed to provide an ongoing focus on the Triangle's most critical freeway in order to maintain its long-term viability.
540 / Triangle Expressway Southeast Extension
The Triangle Expressway ("Tri-Ex") --currently under construction in western Wake County-- is the largest highway project in North Carolina history and the first modern toll road in North Carolina. The first segment of the roadway opened in December 2011 and additional expansion --the Triangle Expressway Southeast Extension-- will create extensions south to US 64 in Apex and further south to NC 55 in Holly Springs.
The next segment of Tri-Ex has been delayed for more than a year due to a variety of environmental and subsequent legislative factors.
Future Interstate 44
The US 64 east freeway is Raleigh's first and only direct free-flow highway link to the northern and mid-Atlantic states via I-95 north at Rocky Mount. The RTA supports a "future Interstate" designation such as "future Interstate 44 (I-44)" or another appropriate designation from Raleigh to the Hampton Roads region of Virginia via Rocky Mount and Elizabeth City, North Carolina.
Highway improvements
The Regional Transportation Alliance advocates for improvements to the region's arterial roadways that will provide mobility and safety improvements while meeting the needs of state, regional, and local travelers. The goal is to achieve a balanced solution from a community, regional, and statewide perspective for these roadways.
US 64 west
RTA recognizes that US 64 is a critical corridor for both transportation and economic development for our region and state. We also understand that the US 64 boulevard serves our local community in southwestern Wake County and is critical for mobility; access to offices, merchants, parks, and schools; and overall quality of life.
NC 54 east
NC 54 east of Chapel Hill is a critical regional roadway in the Triangle. It provides the primary connection between Chapel Hill -- including the University and the hospital complex -- with I-40, RDU Airport, Research Triangle Park, and points east.
Regional Transit
The Regional Transportation Alliance continues to work with our partners to advance the creation of a robust regional transit system.
Commuter Rail
Commuter rail is a potential rail option for connecting Durham, Research Triangle Park, Cary, Raleigh, and points east. In fall 2008 and spring 2010, the NCRR completed studies on shared capacity and ridership, respectively for potential commuter rail operation along portions of its corridor. According to the NCRR ridership study released in May 2009, the highest ridership potential was found along the section from Durham to Wilson's Mills.
Higher Speed Rail in NC and VA - “Lengthening and Strengthening the Northeast Corridor”
The RTA is focused on accelerating the completion of the Raleigh, NC - Richmond, VA Higher Speed Rail (HrSR) linkage, which has the potential for 110 MPH or higher speed trains that would "Connect the Capitals," join the two states' urban crescents together, and bring us closer to a seamless southeastern rail network between the Northeast Corridor (NEC) and Washington, DC, and Richmond, Hampton Roads, Raleigh, and Charlotte.
RDU Air Service
The Regional Transportation Alliance is committed to enhancing the air service offerings available to regional air travelers. Improving air service was identified as the number one economic development priority by the Research Triangle Regional Partnership economic development organization. Increasing the number of nonstop flights from RDU is also an RTA priority, and we are happy to provide the assistance and expertise of the region's business leadership organization for transportation to this effort. Social media coming soon!
Bus on Shoulder System (BOSS)
Bus on shoulder operation is a low-cost, fast-implementation treatment that can provide immediate benefits to transit whenever mainline travel is experiencing moderate to heavy degrees of congestion. Bus on shoulder operation will allow transit buses with trained drivers to operate on the shoulders of selected freeways and expressways in order to bypass congestion and maintain transit schedules.
