BRT is under construction in Raleigh — here is an overview of our region’s BRT corridors (10 and counting)
RTA members and partners,
The New Bern Avenue corridor is under construction in Raleigh, which formally commences the building of our region’s metropolitan BRT future.
To celebrate, here is an overview of BRT, and our region’s 10+ BRT corridors across four counties (Wake, Orange, Durham, Johnston).
Hopefully the below is helpful. Please let me know if you have any questions.
Joe
RTA overview of BRT across the metropolitan Triangle
Revised January 25, 2026
In 2025, RTA and NCDOT held a joint webinar on the promise and opportunity of BRT:
- NCDOT’s presentation slides, see slides 3-17, provide a great overview of BRT.
- “Bus Rapid Transit” (BRT) is an integrated system of facilities, equipment, services, and amenities,
that improve the speed, reliability, and identity of bus service (from slide 3)
RTA has suggested three other names for BRT, from a marketing and communications/outreach perspective:
- “Buses Resembling Trains” – we have been elevating this name among the regional business community
- “Building Roads for Transit” – particularly used in a construction / road-building context
- “Bringing the Region Together”” – coined by RTA transit chair, Stelfanie Williams of Duke University
RTA supports the development of a BRT rapid transit network for several reasons, including:
- Create rapid, frequent, attractive, and reliable travel options for associates across the Triangle
- Focus land use along key corridors
- Develop an interconnected enhanced transit system faster given a comparatively lower per-mile cost
Raleigh intends to build 4 BRT corridors, centered on downtown Raleigh; these Wake BRT corridors will be built in this order:
- New Bern / eastern corridor to Wake Med main campus and east Raleigh – under construction now;
- Southern corridor to Garner;
- Western corridor to NC State and Cary; and
- Southern corridor(s) to North Hills and Triangle Town Center area
- Here is the City of Raleigh’s overview of “What is BRT”
CAMPO is studying two BRT extensions of the above Wake BRT corridors:
- Southern extension (of Southern Corridor), from Garner to Clayton, and
- Western extension (of Western Corridor) from Cary to Morrisville and Research Triangle Park
Durham intends to build one or more BRT corridors:
- Central Durham BRT connecting Duke University with Downtown and the Village
- Durham BRT vision of potential BRT projects serving Durham County
Chapel Hill and Orange County intend to build one or more BRT corridors:
- Chapel Hill North South BRT – in HR 7148 appropriations bill, passed US House last week (joint explanatory statement)
- Chapel Hill / Triangle West TPO study of potential additional BRT / high capacity transit corridors in Orange County
NCDOT managed the FAST (Freeway, Arterial, Street, Tactical) transit study that was just finalized last week:
- FAST study overview page of all study documents
- I-40 BRT is included in the FAST study, and was discussed at summer 2025 RTA transportation brunch
- Here is a simulation video by WSP and renderings (floor plan, aerial, interior, exterior) by HH Architecture
There are other BRT corridors being discussed, including:
- Cary north-south BRT along Harrison Avenue and Kildaire Farm Road; this could link to I-40 BRT/exchange station
We applaud all of our partners who are working to advance and accelerate enhanced rapid transit across the Triangle.
Let’s get moving, together,
Joe
Note: This post was last updated January 25, 2026
