News

A great retreat that will lead to an excellent year ahead

During the past two weeks, our RTA major investors gathered both in person and online to gain perspectives on critical issues, review the progress of the region and the RTA organization, and look ahead to next year.

We heard from wonderful guest speakers including Chris Peoples, Chief Operating Officer, NCDOT; Dr. Timothy Johnson, Professor of the Practice in Energy and the Environment, Nicholas School of the Environment at Duke University; Bill Sandifer, Chief Development Officer, Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority; David Roy, Director of Innovative Project Financing, NC Turnpike Authority; and Carl Warren, President and CEO, North Carolina Railroad Company. Each of these leaders spoke of issues and opportunities facing transportation, including funding, financing, environmental sustainability, electrification, and making projects go faster.

Kudos to our guest speakers and key partners for their insights, and thank you to our RTA bronze, silver, and gold members for their investment of time during both retreat days. All RTA members can listen to Chris Peoples’ remarks via this link and also view his RTA “pre-retreat” slide deck here. You can also view the final presentation deck from this week’s in person retreat at the Umstead here.

18 miles of newly improved freeway in the eastern Triangle…  besides 540

Did you know there are 18 miles of newly improved freeway underway in the eastern Triangle? This week’s blog highlights the achievement of substantial completion of I-40 in southern Wake and western Johnston counties, as well as the ongoing improvements to I-440 in west Raleigh that I spoke of this week to the Triangle Business Journal.

We will certainly celebrate the 18 miles of new 540 when it opens later this month in southern Wake County. However, the wonderful 18 miles of improvements that NCDOT is completing on I-40 and I-440 in Wake and Johnston counties are also worth celebrating, and so we do that with this week’s briefing.

Have a great weekend, everyone.

Let’s get moving,
Joe Milazzo II, PE
RTA executive director