I-40 Cary/Raleigh Widening

Interstate 40 — the Triangle's "Main Street" — is also our most critical freeway.  Interstate 40 connects several area communities, including Hillsborough, Chapel Hill, Durham, Research Triangle Park, Morrisville, Cary, Raleigh, Garner, and Benson. In addition, I-40 interchanges with NC 147/Durham Freeway (future northern terminus of Triangle Expressway), I-540, I-440, US 1, US 15-501, and many other roadways that bring the Triangle together. Interstate 40 is the most heavily-traveled—and congested—highway in the region, and the only two-digit Interstate serving Wake County, the capital county and largest in the eastern half of North Carolina.

Current traffic volumes exceed 140,000 per day near Research Triangle Park and 130,000 per day near RDU airport. Between Cary and Raleigh, traffic volumes are approximately 100,000 vehicles per day—far above the capacity of the freeway in this area, and leading to an evening rush hour that can last for three hours eastbound.

In 2007, the Alliance successfully focused on a 6-lane footprint for this section of I-40 as an intermediate, less expensive solution vs. 8-lanes) that would still provide a substantial degree of relief to area travelers on I-40. 

The NC Board of Transportation approved the widening of I-40 from four to six lanes at their June 5, 2008 meeting, with contruction anticipated by November 2009 -- years earlier than expected as the project moved from unfunded to fully-funded status.

In February 2009, the I-40 Cary/Raleigh widening project letting date was advanced to June 2009 -- accelerating the project by approximately five months.