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Cary Celebrates National Train Day 2014

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Cary, NC — The weather couldn’t have been more perfect for the third annual National Train Day at the Town of Cary’s Depot on Saturday May 10, 2014. Read more

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Left at the Station: Wake County

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Cary, NC — Good news for Durham and Orange Counties this week: the Feds have approved a plan for light rail between Durham and Chapel Hill. Left at the station without a ticket: Wake County. Read more

Technology Video: 155 MPH All-Electric Superbus

Story by Hal Goodtree. Photo from Superbus.

Cary, NC – This week, the S.T.E.M. Technology Video series returns with a story about a 155 MPH all-electric Superbus.  Read more

Downtown This Week: Transportation

Story from staff reports. Photo by Hal Goodtree.

Cary, NC – The Downtown Cary Renaissance continues this week with a couple of noteworthy events. Read more

Transportation: Cary Depot Opens Early, Under Budget

Story by Lindsey Chester. Photos by Hal Goodtree.

Cary, NC- The new Cary Depot has been operating since Labor Day, but the ribbon cutting ceremony was held Monday, October 3 amidst much hoopla. Read more

This Week’s Survey: Railroad Development in Cary

Survey by CaryCitizen.com. Photo by Ben Loudtiger.

Cary, North Carolina – Since last week’s survey on a proposed $10,000 Tax Credit for New Home Construction proved so popular, we’ve decided to try it out as a regular feature. This week, we want to know what you think about proposed rail development in Cary. Read more

Transportation: Triangle Moves Forward

Story by Hal Goodtree. Pictured above: Personal Rapid Transit vehicle.

Cary, NC –  The Regional Transportation Alliance (RTA) held its annual meeting at Embassy Suites in Cary last Wednesday. More than 200 business leaders, elected officials and transportation experts from across the Triangle gathered to hear the “State of Mobility” presentation on transportation issues and accomplishments in our region during the last year.

Accomplishments

Good transportation – by road, rail and air – is vital to the economic health of our region. It’s also a vital factor in our “quality of life.” After all, who wants to live in a region that’s a transportation nightmare? Ask any transplant from New York, Boston or Atlanta.

The good news, as reported by Joe Milazzo, RTA Executive Director and Rick Weddle, RTA Chair, was that the Triangle has a pretty robust transportation infrastructure and it’s improving steadily. Several important projects were started or funded this year:

  • 147 Triangle Expressway – Now under construction. Slated for completion in December 2011.
  • NC 540 – Now under construction. Slated for completion in December 2012.
  • East End Connector – Also called the I-85 Connector, it will hook up 540 and 147 with I-85, eliminating a detour through city streets on our major artery to the north. Construction will begin in Fall 2013.

Buses or Trains?

One of the key issues for 2011, according to Milazzo, is to decide between two competing plans for the next 15 years. Both plans mix bus and train components, but in different measures.

  • Plan 1 – Major improvements to rail transportation, completing a grid from UNC Chapel Hill through Durham, RTP, Cary and Raleigh, extending down to Clayton and up to Wake Forest. Incremental improvement in bus transportation.
  • Plan 2 – Major improvements in bus transportation, incremental steps in improving our regional rail grid. The rail links from north Raleigh to Wake Forest  and between Durham and Chapel Hill are not in this plan..

Both plans are scheduled to be completed by 2025.

At stake is which plan will be submitted to a voter referendum on a proposed half percent sales tax increase to fund transportation.

Interestingly, both plans have Cary pretty much in the center of transportation grid. But for other towns, which plan gets adopted could have a big impact on their future.

What Do You Think?

Generally speaking, would you like to see more rail or more bus in the Triangle? Send you thoughts to transportation@carycitizen.com.

Gaining Altitude at RDU

Milazzo also highlighted several interesting developments at RDU.

  • RDU flights are cheaper than similar flights from CLT (Charlotte)
  • RDU is one of the nation’s most successful as measured by growth
  • Delta added 14 new flights in August (as reported on CaryCitizen)

The renovation of Terminal 2 has been moved up to January 23, 2010 to accommodate the flood of visitors for the NHL All-Star Game the following week. The expansion of Terminal 2, the largest project in the history of RDU, has been going on for five years and will add 17 new gates plus 13 shops and restaurants.

RDU released this photo in October of decorative concrete recently poured outside the bag claim area.

Personal Rapid Transit and Other Pot Pourri

The RTA really brings together some innovative thinking about transportation. Some interesting tidbits for Cary citizens:

  • Quick Crossovers – An alternative to Roundabouts. They’re quick to fund, build and use and are gaining popularity across the U.S.
  • BOSS – Stands for “Bus on Shoulder.” It’s an easy retrofit for existing highways. We may to see it in a few years on I-40.
  • Personal Rapid Transit (pictured top of page) – This personal transportation pod, which looks like something from the Jetsons (or maybe a toaster), is already in use at Heathrow Airport.

Quick crossover, or diverging diamond exchanges, are an attractive alternative to roundabouts.

RTA Means Business

The Regional Transportation Alliance, with the motto “Let’s Get Moving,” serves as the voice of business for transportation initiatives and policy across the Triangle.  The Alliance focuses on strategic issues that will decrease the area’s commuting times, expand mobility options, improve shipping efficiency, and attract and retain top businesses in the region. The Alliance was founded by the Cary, Chapel Hill-Carrboro, Durham, and Raleigh chambers of commerce in 1999.

Over 100 major businesses including Cisco, IBM, Progress Energy, Quintiles and Research Triangle Park, along with 23 area chambers of commerce are members of the Alliance.

Harold’s Blog: Jam-Packed Week

From the blog of  Cary Mayor Harold Weinbrecht, covering the week of October 31, 2010.

This week was a busy week with several events and a council meeting.

The Love Affair with Trains and Cary

Monday’s first event was the groundbreaking ceremony of the Cary Depot. I met several State and Federal officials at the train station in Raleigh. After a short reception, we boarded the train to Cary. As we arrived in Cary and departed the train, the Cary Band played “I’ve been working on the Railroad.” Getting off a train with a band playing was a unique and surreal experience for me. I thought that only happened in the movies. Anyway, it was a great treat and made me proud to represent Cary. Read more