A Great Expansion for North Carolina’s Traffic Connectivity
The Triangle Expressway in Raleigh N.C., received a huge transformation to help facilitate the connection between the N.C. 55 in Apex and I-40 near Garner highways. The completed 540 Phase 1, is an 18-mile and six-lane toll road extension of the original Triangle Express.
This expansion is to provide regional growth, enhance mobility and reduce congestion in the Raleigh area. The N.C. Turnpike Authority (NCTA) plays a crucial role in helping the N.C. Department of Transportation’s (NCDOT) operations help advance toll facilities to provide drivers more choices in how they reach critical destinations while reducing congestion along heavily traveled routes.
City’s Expansion
Before the completed 540 Phase 1 opened to traffic, travelers in southern Wake County had limited access to connectivity routes, forcing them onto already congested options. Because of this matter, the rapid population and economic growth in the Raleigh-Durham region placed increasing strains on existing roadways and signaled a time for expansion.
The project was delivered through three synchronized design-build contracts and all of the segments of the completed 540 Phase 1 were opened in September 2025. “The project includes modern interchanges, advanced safety features, real-time traffic management and aesthetic treatments that reduce long-term maintenance costs,” said Kim Poulton, Deputy Director of Public Relations at NCTA.
Unique Aspects of the Design
The project team embraced practical innovation and overcame complex challenges. As they navigated pandemic-related labor shortages, supply disruptions and inflation, even challenges that at 1 point left $15 million in equipment sitting idle. But with perseverance, the team managed to complete the 540 Phase 1 R-2721A, R-2721B and R-2828 contracts on time with respect to the financing schedule and within their budget.
The project exemplifies environmental protection and energy-efficient aspects; the corridor avoided ecologically sensitive areas, such as the Swift Creek watershed and adjacent state forest. More than $30 million was invested in environmental mitigation, including wetland and stream restoration and a $5 million contribution to Wake County’s Open Space Program to preserve green space. NCTA also built noise walls, constructed a pedestrian culvert to reconnect a bisected neighborhood and incorporated green infrastructure practices to capture and treat stormwater.
Project Highlights
For many residents in southern Wake and Johnston counties, the road expansion cut as much as 30 minutes from their daily commute. In the first 60 days of operation, more than five million toll transactions were recorded and truck usage was double projections. The project also continues regional economic development by enhancing access to the Research Triangle Park, Raleigh-Durham International Airport and multiple universities.
“The design of Complete 540 Phase 1 is unique in its use of alternative technical concepts and the efficient solutions they produced,” said Jennifer Harris, General Engineering Consultant with NCTA. “Believing that design-build teams could bring fresh, innovative ideas and creative solutions to the table, resulting in a distinctive design that better served the project’s goals, the NCTA used the design-build project delivery method for the Complete 540 Phase 1 contracts.”
Recognition
The Complete 540 Phase 1 project stood out for using a multi-contract, accelerated design-build approach, with all contracts advanced at the same time, an innovative method so effective that it was repeated for Phase 2. NCTA also strengthened Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) participation by gathering industry input to set meaningful goals, hosting a rare combined prime-contractor and DBE forum before project advertising and ultimately awarding about $75 million in DBE contracts, fully meeting all inclusion targets.
The project also integrated archaeological data recovery into its planning after early surveys uncovered artifacts up to 10,000 years old. Instead of delaying construction, NCTA and HNTB Corporation built time for excavation directly into procurement documents, ensuring archaeologists could recover and preserve materials now held by the state. This coordinated approach across cultural, environmental and construction interests exemplified NCTA’s commitment to both delivering major infrastructure and protecting N.C. ‘s heritage.
With its unique aspects, the R-2721A portion received the Grand Award from ACEC N. C. and a National Recognition Award from the national ACEC for its design, in June 2025 and the original Triangle Expressway toll road won the People’s Choice Award as part of AASHTO’s America’s Transportation Awards program in 2012.
Looking ahead, Phase 2 is now under construction and will deliver the final 10 miles of the outer loop around the greater Raleigh region, anticipated to open to traffic in 2028.
This feature appears in our January issue of American Infrastructure, read the print version here.
