Had to drop the in-laws off at the airport and noticed this thing when I was driving. Best I can describe it as some sort of watered down version of a Buc’ees? I found an ABC11 article on it and the Herald Sun did a deeper description of it.
Now, after delays during the COVID-19 pandemic, the RDU Galleria will soon open to the public. It is, indeed, a big gas station, with 16 pumps that will dispense Shell gasoline, and the upper two floors are being leased for offices. But the ground floor is a large convenience store and food court, with coffee from Gloria Jean’s and food from Pizza Hut, Which Wich and Wayback Burgers. There’s seating for about 90 people inside and 60 outside, as well as a separate wine and beer bar with 24 taps.
I had always assumed this was going to be a small hotel or something. What a weird ass development, especially when the Sheetz right next door has been the “waiting area/gas up/snack up” spot for…ever.
Think it’s just a matter of time before we see one in North Carolina. I remember they looked hard at Efland near the 40/85 interchange before they pulled out. I just think there’s too much opportunity with big highways like 40/85/90/etc. here in NC that they’ll find a more receptive town than Efland/Orange County eventually.
Obviously I’m sure it’s a logistical nightmare, but anyone have a good resource / reading on why runway projects take so long? Five years to build it once it is approved seems wild.
There’s a lot more complex engineering involved in runway development vs. traditional highways and roadways. The strip has to accommodate widebody aircraft, like the American B777 that serves London. Land configuration is another major part: you’ll need to move lots and lots of earth from a number of borrow sites in order to prepare the two-mile-long site.
I would assume this includes reconnoitering the current runway for taxiway use as well as the changes to area around terminal to make way for new gates as that required reconnoitering the taxiways as we of the current taxiway as well. Work will have to be done in phases. JMWAG
