Will 2025 Be the Year Construction on Raleigh’s First Bus Rapid Transit Line Finally Gets Off the Ground?

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Good morning, readers.

In November 2023, the City of Raleigh hosted a groundbreaking ceremony for Raleigh’s first Bus Rapid Transit line along New Bern Avenue. 

The mayor and other elected officials were on hand, and residents could tour, and even ride, a 60-foot BRT bus (they’re 20 feet longer than the regular GoRaleigh buses and bend in the middle). Construction was imminent, ostensibly, and the line was supposed to be operational this year. 

Seven months later, the public found out the city hadn’t been able to find a contractor for the project. No one had submitted a bid. The city re-advertised the project, and earlier this month, the city council rejected the sole bid that was submitted at an estimated cost of $113 million, way over budget for the $90 million project. 

Raleigh’s Bus Rapid Transit plan has been in the works since at least 2016, when voters approved a half-cent increase to the local sales tax to fund the Wake County transit plan. A lot has happened since then, including a global pandemic, rising costs of building materials, and natural disasters including Hurricane Helene that have impacted the regional construction industry.  

Now, instead of in 2025, Raleigh’s BRT line will be operational in 2028 in the best case scenario. We spoke with city staff to try to get an idea of why they think they’ll have better luck attracting a contractor the third time around. Read the story here. 

Have a good Wednesday.

 —Jane

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