Wake BRT: Southern Planning and Design

Southern Corridor

The Wake BRT: Southern Corridor will connect downtown Raleigh with the North South Station and Rupert Road in Garner.

In November of 2016, Wake County voters approved a plan for focused investment in public transit which puts the implementation of the Wake County Transit Plan in motion. The plan calls for building approximately 20 miles of transit lanes along four (4) Bus Rapid Transit corridors within Wake County (Wake BRT).

Wake BRT System Map

Map of BRT corridors in Raleigh

Project Details

Type:: Transportation Improvements
Project Lead:: Transportation - Transit Division
Contractors:: HNTB

Contact

Het Patel
BRT Program Manager
het.patel@raleighnc.gov
919-996-5120

Lead Department:: Transportation

Service Unit:: Public Transportation

This project supports

Raleigh's Climate Plan in Action

Project Overview

The Wake BRT: Southern Corridor will connect downtown Raleigh and Rupert Road in Garner. The Southern Corridor will be approximately 5 miles of BRT service, with portions of the route operating in dedicated bus lanes. The projects will also include enhanced stations and transit signal priority at signalized intersections.

In 2016, the Wake Transit Plan identified four BRT corridors for implementation by 2027. The Southern Corridor connecting downtown Raleigh and Garner was one of the corridors identified. The Southern Corridor was further evaluated in both the Southern Gateway Corridor Study (SGCS) completed in 2017 and the Wake Transit Plan Major Investment Study (MIS) completed in 2018.

Studies and Decisions

The planning phase of the project began in 2019 with work to help select the preferred route. From February to March of 2020, public engagement kick-off meetings were held to gather feedback on alternatives for the Southern Corridor. Two meetings were held, one in Raleigh and one in Garner, and a survey was published asking for feedback on BRT features, priorities and popular destinations along the corridor. Results from the survey are available.

In October 2020, the City of Raleigh endorsed S. Wilmington St. as the preferred route for the northern section of the Southern Corridor. In April 2021, the Wilmington Extension was endorsed as the preferred route for the southern section of the corridor by City Council and was adopted by CAMPO in June of 2021.

The preliminary design phase (0 to 30 percent) for the Southern Corridor BRT is underway. The corridor is approximately 5 miles. It will operate in both dedicated transit lanes and mixed traffic between GoRaleigh Station in Downtown Raleigh, and North South Station and Walmart in Garner. The location and number of BRT stations along the corridor will be determined during the design phase.

As of Fall 2023, the Southern Corridor project has reached the 10% design milestone and completed the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Capital Improvements Grants (CIG) Small Starts Ratings Submission at the end of August 2022.

Current Activity

Continue coordination with Town of Garner.
Continue preliminary design work (0 to 30 percent), including BRT lanes in the roadway, known as runningways, and station locations.
Continue National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Categorical Exclusion documentation
Continue coordination with Federal Transit Administration through the Capital Investment Grant process

Map of preliminary Southern Bus Rapid Transit route — This map outlines the project limits and shows the proposed BRT transit stops along the corridor.

BRT Southern Corridor Update

Next Steps

The next round of public engagement is anticipated in Spring/Summer 2023 which will include updated design plans for the Southern Corridor BRT project. It is anticipated that the project team will finalize station locations and refine BRT transit lane designs through the project’s design phase.

Engagement

NOTICE FOR THE WAKE BRT SOUTHERN CORRIDOR PROJECT

The City of Raleigh, as a grant recipient of the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), is proposing to construct and operate the Southern Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project. The project would extend 5.1-miles from downtown Raleigh to the Town of Garner and would operate primarily along S. Wilmington Street and the proposed S. Wilmington Street Extension.

The FTA determined that two districts (East Raleigh-South Park Historic District and Moore Square Historic District) and one individual site (Raleigh Water Works and E.B. Bain Water Treatment Plant) retain sufficient integrity to remain eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places within the Area of Potential Effects. The FTA also determined that one study-listed district in the Area of Potential Effects, Shaw University Historic District, is recommended as eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places. The project’s Historic Architecture Survey Report can be found at the following link: Link to the report

The FTA is seeking public comment on the undertaking in compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (36 CFR 800). The FTA, consultation with the North Carolina State Historic Preservation Office, will determine whether the project would have an adverse effect to any listed or eligible historic properties in the Area of Potential Effects. Public comments received on the project will be considered in the assessment of effects process.

Please provide comments to Kaitlin.Hughes@wsp.com and copy Het.Patel@raleighnc.gov by January 31, 2025. If you have any questions, please contact Ms. Julia Walker at Julia.walker@dot.gov.

Kick-off Engagement – February 2020

Public engagement for the Southern Corridor began in February 2020. Two meetings were held at Victory Church in Raleigh, and at the Garner Senior Center. The purpose of the meetings was to educate the community on the benefits of BRT, highlight previous planning studies in the area, and present the corridor alternatives. Attendees had the opportunity to discuss the project directly with staff and provide feedback on transit priorities. Provided was a presentation and meeting boards developed for public review.

Virtual Engagement – November 2020

In November 2020, the City of Raleigh staff and consultants hosted a Virtual Open House to provide an overview of the BRT program, provide project-specific updates and gather public and stakeholder feedback. Provided was a handout developed for public review.

Virtual Engagement – Spring 2021

In May 2021, City staff and consultants hosted a second Virtual Open House to provide an overview of the BRT program, provide project-specific updates, and gather public and stakeholder feedback. Provided was a handout and a was video developed for public review here.

Fall Engagement – Fall 2022

In Fall 2022, a third Virtual Open House and 5 in person pop up events were hosted to provide an overview of the BRT Program and provide project specific updates. In person events were held at the following times and locations:

November 15, 2022 New Bern Corridor Update at Tarboro Road Community Center from 6-8 p.m.
November 17, 2022 Ask a Planner event at Go Raleigh Station from 9-11 a.m.
November 29, 2022 Ask a Planner event at Go Raleigh Station from 9-11 a.m.
November 18, 2022 Ask a Planner event at Raleigh Union Station from 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
November 30, 2022 Ask a Planner event at Cary Regional Library from 12-2 p.m.

The information presented at in person events was the same provided in the Wake Bus Rapid Transit Virtual Open House. Provided was a handout, video, and display board developed for public review. Please visit the virtual open house portal to view the live Virtual Q&A session.

Schedule

Date	Event
2017	Southern Gateway Corridor Study
2018	Wake Transit Plan Major Investment Study
Summer 2021	Southern Corridor Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA) Selected
Fall 2021	0–30% Design Begins
Fall 2022	Federal Small Starts Application
Summer 2023	Anticipated 30% Design Complete
Fall 2023	Final Design Begins
Summer 2025	Anticipated Advance design complete