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Wake Transit shifts away from large commuter rail; proposes I‑40 BRT, boosts microtransit and community funding
Summary
CAMPO and Wake Transit staff briefed Wake Forest council on phase 2 of the Wake Transit Plan update, outlining a shift from a single large commuter-rail project toward investments in regional rail improvements, an I‑40 bus rapid transit line, more frequent service, mobility hubs and expanded community funding for microtransit and local projects.
Ben Howe, Wake Transit program manager with the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO), told the Wake Forest Town Council the Wake Transit Plan is being updated and that public engagement for phase 2 concluded in January.
The plan, funded by a voter‑approved sales tax, has raised nearly $750 million through 2023 and “we're expecting it to raise another $700,000,000 to $1,000,000,000 by 2035,” Howe said. He summarized four “big moves”: connect regionally, connect all Wake County communities, create frequent reliable urban mobility, and enhance access to transit.
Why it matters: the update will shape ten‑year investment choices in Wake County, including whether to continue pursuing a costly commuter rail line or reallocate funding to regional/passenger‑rail improvements, high‑frequency bus corridors and local projects in Wake Forest.
Howe said the feasibility work and cost estimates have pushed planners away from the previous large commuter‑rail concept. “Commuter rail has really just not [been] very feasible. The cost has ballooned,” he said,…
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