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.
In Orange and Durham counties, the primary freeways are Interstates 85 and 40. Durham County also has the Durham Freeway, currently known as NC 147, although that roadway may receive an Interstate designation at some point in the future after the Triangle Connector to I-85 (East End Connector) freeway opens later this decade.
In Wake and Johnston counties, the primary freeway is Interstate 40. Wake County also has the east-west Capital Beltline (I-440), the partially complete Raleigh Outer Loop (I-540 / NC 540), the US 1 South freeway to Sanford, and the US 64/264 freeway east of Raleigh, which splits into US 64 towards Rocky Mount/I-95 north/Williamston and US 264 towards Wilson/I-795 south/Greenville. Johnston County also has I-95 and the US 70 Clayton Bypass.
Interstate 40 travels through the four largest Triangle region counties and directly connects the four largest communities in the Triangle (Raleigh, Durham, Cary, Chapel Hill) as well as The Research Triangle Park and RDU Airport. Given its regional importance, the Alliance and other partners have committed to the ongoing I-40 Regional Partnership initiative. A recent success of the Alliance and partners is the I-40 Cary / Raleigh widening completed in June 2011.
The partially complete, partially under construction, partially future Raleigh Outer Loop is the Beltway that currently encircles large portions of Raleigh and Morrisville. By 2012, it will also envelop much of Cary and Apex, and potentially Holly Springs and Garner by 2020. Learn more about the recent Alliance efforts in successfully accelerating the 540 / Triangle Expressway turnpike to construction, as well as the ongoing plans for the Triangle Expressway and Extension.
With the Triangle Expressway under construction from NC 55 Holly Springs bypass to NC 55 in northwest Cary, along with the Triangle Parkway spur that bypasses Davis Drive in Research Triangle Park, the only remaining incomplete portion of a new north-south freeway in the heart of the Triangle is the Triangle Connector to I-85 in Durham.
There are currently no Interstates heading east of the capital city towards the northeastern states. However, there is a possiblity for an Interstate designation for US 64 east of Raleigh.
Denny Edwards notes that organizations like the Greater Raleigh Convention & Visitors Bureau support the RTA's efforts to expand the region's Interstate freeway system.
