News

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

My magical experience with pre-booking RDU parking
Last week I visited family in Texas. Like you, I was aware of the increased demands on security lines, parking, and so on at our growing hometown international airport, especially during morning rush hour, and therefore I booked my parking in advance using the ParkRDU.com website. This week’s blog covers my experience, but the bottom line is this: I urge you to book your parking at RDU in advance. The online parking tool is easy and effective, and you will save yourself time, stress, uncertainty – and money.

A bunch of transit changes start Sunday – and they are good ones
At the RTA breakfast last month, RTA Transit Chair Brad Ives with UNC and I spoke of the need and opportunity to create a regional bus rapid transit network – and the benefits that such a network would create. While that won’t happen overnight, I am pleased to see more and more elements coming into place. Among the changes starting this month are a new I-540 express route – dubbed “North Raleigh Express” – and the new RTP connector service that will use Uber and Lyft for the last mile within the Park. Your local option transit referendum investments are at work, to get you to all parts of your life, and the region. More information here.

We are one year away from our newest Interstate
The “Durham East End Connector” project – which we have referred to as the Triangle Connector to I-85 for several years, and look forward to referring to simply as new Interstate 885 – is working towards completion by summer 2020. The new freeway connector was the highest priority project of the RTA business coalition for several years until its groundbreaking in spring 2015, and its opening cannot come soon enough. When I-885 opens around next July, there will be no stoplights for the entire 885/540/US 1 corridor in the heart of the Triangle heading from Virginia through Durham, RTP, Cary, Apex, and Sanford. 

Thank you for being a part of the voice of the regional business community on transportation through your membership in the RTA!

Let’s get moving,

Joe

Joe Milazzo II, PE
RTA Executive Director