RTA members,
For this week’s briefing, we highlight the newest addition to our region’s international travel options, and highlight the City of Raleigh’s transportation bond referendum, endorsed by RTA. See brief articles below.
Thank you for your membership, as always, and have a great weekend.
Let’s get moving,
Joe Milazzo II, PE
RTA executive director
A new airline, and a new destination, for an increasingly new RDU Airport
The newest airline at RDU formally commenced service earlier this month. Volaris began service to Guadalajara, the “Silicon Valley of Mexico”, with a new flight that will initially serve our hometown international airport three days per week. Guadalajara is the largest hub for Volaris and thus will provide one stop connection access to around 70 destinations in their network.
RDU now has more than 90 nonstop destinations, including 15 international, served by 19 airlines. The Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority has an ongoing $2.5 billion transformation program that is actively improving landside and airside infrastructure to serve the increased air service demands of our growing community, now and in the future.
This recent Triangle Business Journal article provides a good update of what is underway, what’s next, and what still needs to happen in terms of significantly added gate capacity at RDU. The regional business community will continue to promote airport infrastructure and funding as a top priority for the RTA organization and the region.
RTA endorses City of Raleigh transportation bond
At our most recent RTA Steering Committee meeting, RTA unanimously endorsed the City of Raleigh’s $101.5 million transportation bond, which is currently on the ballot for consideration by City residents.
The announced referendum package includes several projects of interest to the regional business community, including construction of companion general purpose lanes along the future Southern BRT corridor, more than 50 miles of new bikeways, improvements to several roadways, as well as safety improvements across all modes of travel.
City of Raleigh voters have the opportunity to advance more than $100 million in multimodal infrastructure this fall, and early voting is underway now. RTA has endorsed and encourages support for the referendum — learn more in this week’s blog.
