I’m excited to read that 70 between Lynn Road and TW Alexander will become a freeway and Capital Blvd. between 540 and 98 will also become a freeway.
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well 70 between Millbrook and Lumley is just going to get an additional lane each direction
North of 540, 70 will become grade separated
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Just wanted to share (since I help administer the regional program through NCDOT) that the city does do that 
The have 2 FTE staff members that work directly with downtown employers to share information and promote modeshift. Related - if anyone ever needs more information on that program, or would like folks to come out to their worksite, please feel free to email me at anytime (maryesell@gmail.com) and I can put you in touch! More information on the program here: https://www.raleighnc.gov/commutesmart
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Everybody wants transit options, but few want to change their daily behaviors accordingly, or even support paying for it. What I mean about that is that we aren’t voting for people who will enact land use policies and spending policies that will prioritize and fund transit programs.
When we talk realistically about having transit options, we have to first look at our built environment. To fully leverage a rail transit system, we’d need a network of lines and stations that go to where people need to go, while maximizing the number of riders who can walk to & from the stations. Residential areas with stops should ultimately be densely populated. Shopping & entertainment districts would be compact and walkable, and business parks would not be pastoral or “in a forest” like RTP.
It is unreasonable to think that we can have both a robust and efficient transit system (meaning that people actually use it to its capacity) and a suburban land use policy as a default. It’s unreasonable to think that you should be able to walk from a single family home to a station and take it to a job in a park like setting.
Raleigh and Wake County also don’t have to completely transform into NYC to make transit work for us, but we do need significant nodes of development around the walkshed of proposed station locations. We need the courage to develop those nodes densely despite the noise that will come from the “but the traffic” crowd who will do everything they can to kill it.
Being a multi-core metro area can be played to our transit future’s benefit. We can start by prioritizing and establishing service to connect just a few dense nodes, led by DT Raleigh and Durham. We can add stops along the route, only when towns/entities take steps to making those stops successful through land use policies in their walksheds. For example, if RTP wants a stop, then show us a masterplan for the immediate area that will support it. If Cary wants a stop near downtown, have them tell us how it’s going to be supported by residential riders on foot.
Many, many suburban metros around the country have implemented transit that requires its riders to drive to the station and park in massive parking lots and garages adjacent to their stops. While this may seem smart, it kills the walkshed that should ultimately serve the rail investment more effectively. Those stations are being supported by a driveshed instead of a walkshed. What’s the point of putting in a rail system if people still have to get in their cars to get to a station?
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I have read the article that you posted by CityLab, very impressive. In Raleigh and DTR you have the working class, seniors 65 and older, university students, disabled citizens, what do they do if transit didn’t exist at all. Just paint that picture in your mind for a second. those that need transit to get to work every day, to school, to doctor’s appointments, going to visit a family member, etc. those that do not own a car or can not even afford Cab fare or Uber/Lyft…Where do they stand ? where is their voice of concern ? These are questions that need to take seriously when it comes to OUR neighbors that don’t have a vehicle to get around. the demand may be low but the need is there just the same.
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It is mainly a concern of our Working class citizens here in Raleigh as far as getting around the Raleigh area, not trying to bash or be negative, just a real concern, I too ride the Go Raleigh buses even though I own a Car, at times I may need to put my car in the shop and take the bus to work which works out well and I can afford it, Uber/Lyft can get real expensive after a while.
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I use the bus 3 times a week just to visit Alamo Drafthouse. I’m probably the only person that uses the inbound bus stop on Clarendon Cres. at 10:40 PM.
I feel like I should adopt that bus stop!
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Raleigh was ranked the third worst in large metros where it is hardest to go without a car
Strangely, Durham-Chapel Hill, which is counted as one place, ranks higher for smaller metros. Not sure I fully grasp that.
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Until light rail started operating in Charlotte, Chapel Hill Transit had the most riders out of any transit system in the state. Durham doesn’t make much sense as transit access there seems to be similar to Raleigh.
WalkScore transit scores (which measures walkable access to any transit on a scale of 1-100)
Raleigh - 30
Durham - 29
Chapel Hill - 42
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Agreed. I think the way the data was pulled together for this must necessarily include smaller metros into larger metros if they are anywhere nearby. e.g. Condord and Gastonia were included in Charlotte, so wouldn’t be eligible to be listed as a “middle” or “small” metro no matter what it’s public transit was like. So, I imagine there are tons of small-mid metros that are nearby larger ones that won’t show up on these lists.
As further evidence, not only is Port St Lucie, FL listed as the 4th best small metro to live in without a car, but the 15th best metro overall. I lived there for nearly a decade, and still have family there. Honestly if I didn’t have Google handy I could not have even told you if they had a bus system. You cannot get by there without a car.
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I suppose that there are a couple things at play here. 1.) Durham-Chapel Hill is much smaller and the universities have an outsized influence on their cities’ data. 2.) Chapel Hill has a free bus system.
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More info on the Hyperloop proposal for Raleigh and the Triangle… demo pod here on Oct 11
“Since initiating a pre-feasibility analysis in July, we’ve been working with the Virgin Hyperloop team to advance further conversations on the potential of hyperloop technology in the Research Triangle,” said Joe Milazzo II, executive director of Regional Transportation Alliance. “As the ‘first in-flight’ state, we are pleased to have the hyperloop vehicle that completed Virgin Hyperloop’s ‘Kitty Hawk moment’ come to the North Carolina – as a nod to our state’s transportation history as well as our mobility innovation future.”
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What an ironic statement.
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I know this isn’t Downtown, but North Hills is launching a free shuttle through the area, in part to make traveling between the eastern and western districts more efficient.
https://www.newsobserver.com/news/business/article235949842.html
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Now, let JK connect it to DTR! 
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Sharing some info and a link to an NC DOT survey that is part of their long-range planning effort. Took me about 17 minutes to complete and I added some open-ended responses.
The N.C. Department of Transportation wants to build a transportation system people want, need and will use. So, what is it that you want? Now is the time to speak up.
Participate in the survey to tell us what is important to you. Share this survey with your family and friends. Everyone’s voice is welcome.
The survey is part of an update to NCDOT’s long-range planning effort, called NC Moves 2050 . Sign up to receive information throughout the study and learn more at www.ncmoves.gov.
Best regards,
NC Moves 2050 Project Team
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Can you also put this post in the Surveys on Surveys on Surveys topic as well?