News

The shape of the Triangle

We know that our Research Triangle region — the “Triangle” — is named after the locations of our three tier I research universities (Duke University in Durham, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, North Carolina State University at Raleigh).

We also know that there is more to the Triangle than just those communities. Cary, for example, has grown so rapidly that it is larger than any community in South Carolina, and indeed is the largest “Town” in the southeastern U.S. Apex, Wake Forest, Garner, Morrisville, Holly Springs, Rolesville, Knightdale and so many other communities have all experienced massive population increases.

The Triangle is even more than our “core” counties of Wake (North Carolina’s largest), Durham, and Orange. Johnston is now populous enough that it is third only to Wake and Durham in our region. Chatham, the home of Chatham Park, is also on a long-term growth trajectory in close proximity to the core of the region. Franklin, Harnett, and even Nash, Wilson, Person, and Alamance are all parts of our extended Triangle.

So are we still the “Triangle?” Absolutely. The Triangle still stands for our research universities — that will always remain fundamental to who we are.

But the Triangle is also the shape of an arrow. And for this region, that arrow continues to point up. More growth in people, jobs, opportunity — and outstanding quality of life. And that requires sustained investments in exceptional mobility across our entire metropolitan area.

The regional business community remains fully committed to keeping that arrow pointing up, by ensuring that we continue our “all of the above, and faster” approach for the entire region.

Joe Milazzo II, PE
RTA Executive Director

RTA is the voice of the regional business community on transportation in the Research Triangle area.
RTA represents more than 100 leading businesses and 25 member chambers of commerce in central and eastern North Carolina.

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