News

At our 18th annual meeting next week, RTA will celebrate the achievement of what has been the regional business community’s highest priority for several years — accelerating 540 to I-40 in southern Wake County.

We will also recognize two key partner organizations that came together to provide an essential resolution for this most important multimodal freeway.

On Friday, January 17th, RTA will recognize both NCDOT and the Southern Environmental Law Center for accelerating 540 while preserving and protecting the environment.

RTA and many other partners have highlighted the importance of this roadway linkage to create a truly resilient freeway network. SELC and its clients had a host of concerns about the potential impacts of this roadway on the environment and filed a series of lawsuits. Through a ground-breaking settlement agreement, these partners, and our region, have achieved a true win-win agreement.

Kym Hunter with SELC has referred to the agreement as, “a game-changer for many of the most important environmental issues in our state,” — ranging from watershed and endangered species protection to open space preservation to addressing climate change.

We have noted that 540, “will provide an essential link between metropolitan and rural North Carolina for jobs and opportunity,” and applaud the partners for coming together to accelerate 540 while preserving and protecting the environment.

We hope that you, too, will come together next week and celebrate with us at our 18th annual meeting, where we “check the box” of success for our highest priority — and then speak to our new priority one concerning funding at RDU Airport. Register online here.