The NC Turnpike Authority and the NC Department of Transportation have activated an acceleration plan that will complete the entire 540 loop.

Thanks to an October 5 vote by the NCDOT Board of Transportation, which devotes up to $100 million in funding to advance critical path work, the NC Turnpike Authority will “let” two design-build contracts for the remaining eastern section of Complete 540 (i.e., between I-40/future I-42/US 70 and I-87/US 64-264, or between 5 o’clock and 3 o’clock on the beltway “clock”) in 2023, with construction activities commencing in 2024.

All transportation-related taxes and fees should be dedicated to transportation purposes — for trust with the public, and to ensure that NCDOT and other partners have the funding needed to plan effectively for growth. The successful July 2022 passage and signing of the state budget bill for fiscal year 2023 will do just that, providing the opportunity to dedicate significant, resilient resources to fund transportation infrastructure at a time of rapid population growth, increasing inflation, declining gas tax revenue sources, and a clear need for investment. The legislation incorporates key provisions of Senate Bill 793, which RTA also supported.

RTA and several of our member chambers of commerce, in concert with our partners the Research Triangle Foundation of North Carolina and the Triangle-J Council of Governments, have initiated a 2022 campaign to support significant federal funding to replace, relocate, and lengthen the primary runway at RDU.

RTA combines a regional business perspective with a transportation focus to accelerate results.

We survey the landscape and then focus on areas where the regional business community can advance effective mobility solutions.