News

Here is a brief weekly update from the RTA business coalition – the voice of the regional business community on transportation.

Let’s keep the conversion of US 1 north of 540 to freeway on schedule
At last month’s quarterly RTA Leadership Team meeting, the group established the conversion of US 1 to freeway north of 540 as our highest priority for schedule preservation. Getting US 1 back to its original 2021 start date – or even close to that – will almost certainly involve tradeoffs. Barring additional funding – which RTA would support – something, or several somethings, will have to give. There is no easy answer to this issue. We are supporting NCDOT in its efforts to identify options and opportunities to accelerate US 1 as soon as possible. Read more in this week’s Thursday Thoughts at 3 blog, and more to come.

Meanwhile, what should US 1 south of 540 look like? Have your say.
South of our capital city’s 540 beltway, US 1 looks, feels, and operates differently than the sections in northern Wake County. The City of Raleigh is asking: “What should Capital Blvd. look like in the future?” The City Council discussed this question earlier this week, and the City is holding multiple visioning workshops in early April to discuss potential options as part of a larger, ongoing study led by RTA Leadership Team member WSP. I don’t know anyone who is happy with the current appearance or operation of Capital between 440 and 540 – this is our chance to support the City in its effort to transform the corridor.

Passport Parking app launches Monday in Downtown Raleigh
Pay-by-phone parking in Durham launched in 2017 using the Passport Parking app, and last summer, Raleigh announced that they would be doing the same. Starting this coming Monday, March 25, the Passport Parking app will go live in downtown Raleigh, enabling drivers to purchase on-street metered parking, extend their stay, and avoid citations.  As we noted last year, parking lies at the intersection of individual mobility and accessibility, and this common mobile app for our two cities is great for our region.

Thank you for your investment in the region’s business voice on transportation! 

Let’s get moving, 

Joe

Joe Milazzo II, PE
RTA Executive Director