A New, Faster Action Plan
- November 21, 2023
- Posted by: Jacob Rigg
- Category: Blog
RTA members and partners,
The RTA Regional Leadership Team met for their quarterly Leadership Team meeting on November 8th, to finalize and approve the 2024 RTA Action Plan.
Two things about the plan.
- First, our five priority areas have not changed: RDU funding remains priority one, with our other priorities still focused on transit, rapid relief freeways, modernizing highway funding, and innovation.
- Second, our mission statement has changed. While the words are still the same — “RTA delivers business leadership to get our region moving faster” — going forward we will underline faster. Here is why.
It has become abundantly clear that transportation projects need to completed faster for our growing region. Unfortunately, rising inflation and longer approval times are increasing the costs of many projects, delaying others, and potentially rendering others effectively unbuildable.
Faster is not just better. It is essential, if we are going to have the investments we need.
More on our action plan priorities.
Just like the 2023 action plan, our top priority for 2024 continues to be identifying sustainable funding for the RDU airport, including a new primary runway. With 17 airlines and over 60 nonstop destinations, nine of which are international, the airport has become an increasingly vital staple for leisure and business for the Triangle. RTA will continue to lead the charge on our cooperative letter writing campaign to the FAA to maximize our federal share for grant money.
In addition, RTA remains committed to:
- Advancing enhanced regional transit. This includes BRT, now under construction in Raleigh, as well as development of the S-line corridor to Richmond, and the FAST transit study to link our region’s BRT corridors to each other and to RDU Airport.
- Advocating for rapid relief improvements for freeways, including upgrades to Capital Boulevard and I-40.
- Continuing to push for modernized revenue for highways via an access user fee approach, in concert with the NC Chamber and other partners across the region and state.
- Supporting mobility innovations, ranging from dynamic left turn intersections (DTLi) to autonomous last mile shuttles to electric vehicles and aircraft.
The Triangle has seen tremendous movement in transportation this year, and we look forward to celebrating at our 22nd annual meeting in January. We also look forward to continuing the momentum in 2024 and beyond with our members and partners.
Let’s get moving,
Joe
Joe Milazzo II, PE
RTA Executive Director
