The morning’s bus commute started aboard GoTriangle Route 300 from Cary Depot and ended with a short walk from a stop along Salisbury Street to the site of the Raleigh Union Station Bus Facility (RUS Bus). The day’s groundbreaking ceremony was entertaining, informational, and meaningful to the Wake Transit community. About 100 project partners and stakeholders were on hand to celebrate a significant milestone in the forward progress of this infrastructure investment. A media presence helped inform the public of the event.
RUS Bus became a reality in 2018 when GoTriangle was awarded a $20 million BUILD grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation. State and local funds also support the project. RUS Bus is a critical project for going forward with Wake Transit’s Four Big Moves of connecting the region, connecting all Wake County communities, creating frequent and reliable urban mobility, and enhancing access to transit.
GoTriangle is a Wake Transit lead agency and partner; it is also serving as project sponsor of RUS Bus. The project will weave together a street-level bus facility with bike- and pedestrian-friendly spaces. The multimodal RUS Bus facility will provide seamless connections between Amtrak rail, as well as local and regional bus services, and Bus Rapid Transit.
Remediation and the demolition of three former warehouse buildings began in the spring of 2022. A portion of warehouse brick frontage was preserved to incorporate into the new development. Upcoming construction activities will include site work, utility installation, roadway improvements, building construction, and site restoration.
RUS Bus is slated to open mid-2025. The overall project is designed to deliver a vibrant, integrated joint development called “Union West” into the Warehouse District of downtown Raleigh. RUS Bus will be adjacent to the existing Raleigh Union Station. Additionally, private development is expected to include multifamily residential, including affordable housing, and retail in one central and vibrant destination.
Links
RUS Bus: rusbusnc.com
GoTriangle’s groundbreaking ceremony:
https://gotriangle.org/news/gotriangle-and-partners-break-ground-rus-bus-project
Definitions
Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) grant.
Quick Facts
- The RUS Bus project began in 2018 when GoTriangle won a $20 million BUILD grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation.
- In FY 2020, progress on the Raleigh Union Station Bus facility included securing rezoning from the Raleigh City Council, selecting a developer, and initiating design.
- Remediation and demolition began on the 1.76-acre site in spring 2022.
- The GoTriangle Groundbreaking Ceremony was Tuesday, October 24th, 2023, 10:15 am.
- RUS Bus is slated to open in mid-2025.
- The RUS Bus Facility site is located along Martin Street in downtown Raleigh, NC.
Key Project Partners
- GoTriangle, Sponsor Agency
- Hoffman & Associates, Development Partner
- City of Raleigh
- North Carolina Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO)
- North Carolina Department of Transportation
- United States Department of Transportation
- Wake County
- Wake Transit Plan
GoTriangle employees helped break ground on RUS Bus during a ceremony held October 24, 2023 in downtown Raleigh, NC.
WAKE TRANSIT HELPS COMMUNITIES GO FORWARD…
What is the Purpose of the Wake Transit Blog?
The Wake Transit Blog is an online resource developed to connect communities with accurate and timely information about the Wake Transit Plan and the Go Forward program, which promotes the Wake County, Durham County, and Orange County transit plans.
Wake County residents, riders, community leaders, and other stakeholders can find the latest updates, as well as links to vital online resources, social media channels, and in-person activity calendars by visiting waketransit.org and goforwardnc.org on a regular basis. While viewing the Go Forward website, community members should make sure they stay in the know by signing up for email updates. To do so, they can visit this link, scroll to the bottom of the page, and enter their email.
The information posted on the blog will help keep transit community members up to speed with current and future plans for service improvements and capital investments, as well as time-sensitive opportunities to provide their input into the process. These efforts are designed with one purpose in mind: to improve public transportation systems and services in ways that help develop thriving communities and better futures for all residents of Wake County and the Greater Triangle Region.
The Wake Transit Plan’s vision is focused on delivering more frequent and reliable mobility and service options that make it more convenient for community members to access centers of employment, education, commerce, healthcare, entertainment, and recreation. The purpose of the Wake Transit Blog is to support this vision by keeping residents and stakeholders informed about our community investment in transit.
What is the Wake Transit Plan?
The Wake Transit Plan is a funding and investment program designed to implement the goals that guide the improvement and expansion of public transportation in Wake County. Funding for the Wake Transit Plan is made possible through portions of vehicle registration fees, federal and state contributions, local revenues that fund transit services, and fares paid by transit customers during times they are collected. Wake County voters approved a half-cent sales tax in 2016 that is dedicated to investments in public transit. The investments of Wake Transit Plan funds are guided by the Four Big Moves:
- Connect Regionally
- Connect All Wake County Communities
- Invest in Frequent, Reliable Urban Mobility
- Enhance Access to Transit
To accomplish the Wake Transit Plan’s Four Big Moves, GoTriangle and the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO) are assigned to work as lead agencies. The Wake Transit Plan serves as the foundational document for the program. It is developed by the two lead agencies with extensive participation from Wake Transit Plan partners, members of the community, and key stakeholders. The Wake Transit Plan sets system goals and investment priorities for enhancing the transit system in Wake County over a 10-year period. To remain current, the Wake Transit Plan is updated every four years. It currently extends through FY 2030. The upcoming Wake Transit Plan Update will extend the Wake Transit Plan through 2035.
An annual budget is adopted for each fiscal year to provide a yearly blueprint for service improvements and capital investments. The budget is known as the Wake Transit Work Plan. The annual Wake Transit Work Plan helps ensure the Wake Transit Plan is effectively and efficiently implemented. The Wake Transit Plan’s annual budget, including revenue estimates and cost assumptions, is published in the annual Wake Transit Work Plan. The Wake Transit Work Plan is updated each fiscal year and requires public input and the ongoing involvement of key partners. In addition to GoTriangle and CAMPO, the Wake Transit Plan and the Wake Transit Work Plan depend on input from county residents, community stakeholders, and the following partners:
- Wake County
- City of Raleigh
- Town of Cary
- Town of Apex
- Town of Fuquay-Varina
- Town of Garner
- Town of Holly Springs
- Town of Knightdale
- Town of Morrisville
- Town of Rolesville
- Town of Wake Forest
- Town of Wendell
- Town of Zebulon
- North Carolina State University
- Research Triangle Foundation of North Carolina.
What is Go Forward?
Go Forward is the brand that promotes the regional investment in public transportation services and infrastructure investments made possible through the Wake County Transit Plan, Durham County Transit Plan, and Orange County Transit Plan. Voters in Durham County approved a half-cent sales tax to invest in transit improvements in 2011, followed by Orange County voters in 2012, and finally Wake County voters in 2016.
The Greater Triangle Region’s three counties are focused on the mission behind the Go Forward theme. Go Forward indicates the counties are going forward together. Their individual county transit plans are designed to work together and create a regional network that provides alternatives to driving on increasingly congested roads while also opening up access to more jobs, education, and health care opportunities.
What is the Wake Transit Performance Tracker?
Curious about the overall progress of Wake Transit projects and program initiatives? Wake Transit is committed to working toward improved and expanded public transportation options and opportunities. Check out the Wake Transit Performance Tracker for progress updates. https://waketransittracker.com/
GO FORWARD WEBSITE
The Go Forward Website includes information about current opportunities to participate in surveys, review plans, and submit comments about various projects and programs sponsored, funded, or partially funded through the Wake Transit Program. Click on the following link to view current opportunities to get involved with Wake Transit: https://www.goforwardnc.org/wake-county/get-involved/
WAKE TRANSIT PERFORMANCE TRACKER
Curious about the overall progress of Wake Transit program and project initiatives? Wake Transit is committed to working toward improved and expanded public transportation options and opportunities. Check out the Wake Transit Performance Tracker for progress updates. https://waketransittracker.com/
THE FOUR BIG MOVES
The Wake Transit Plan is guided by the Four Big Moves, which are designed to accomplish the following:
1) Connect the region
2) Connect all Wake County communities
3) Create frequent and reliable urban mobility
4) Enhance access to transit
