40 and 440 improvements — one is almost done, one is moving along nicely
- September 6, 2024
- Posted by: Joe Milazzo II
- Category: Blog
RTA members and partners,
The eastern Triangle region has several freeway projects underway. Much of the focus has been on the Southern Wake freeway, toll 540, and rightly so. We will have 18 miles of new multimodal freeway opening later this month.
However, another major freeway widening has achieved substantial completion, and yet another project is making significant strides forward.
Interstate 40, the Triangle’s “main street”, traverses Orange, Durham, Wake, and Johnston counties. The widening and improvements to I-40 in eastern Wake and Johnston counties are now substantially complete, with two new additional lanes open along the entire 13 mile stretch between I-87/I-440 and south of NC 42. There are also separate, parallel off- and on-ramp lanes serving the existing NC 42 and new Cleveland Road interchanges. This is a wonderful thing.
In addition, enhancements to I-440 in west Raleigh are also well underway. As I said to the Triangle Business Journal today, the ongoing 440 improvements and expansion will make the western portion of the Raleigh Beltline safer, faster, and with smoother travel for business and the entire region.
I also noted that, like all major infrastructure, this project has definitely has taken some time, but the new ramps at Wade Avenue are working great, and once this is all complete next year we will wonder how we ever got along without it. There will be five miles of newly reconstructed and widened freeway to keep travel moving in the capital city.
This adds up to more than 35 miles of new or reconstructed multimodal freeways in the eastern Triangle, all completed within a roughly 12 month period.
Let’s thank our partners at CAMPO and NCDOT for prioritizing and executing these vital projects that will keep commerce flowing and our region moving.
Let’s get moving,
Joe Milazzo II, PE
RTA executive director
