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Town hears Wake BRT Western Corridor update; council divided on endorsing CAMPO’s LPA
Summary
Town staff and CAMPO presented a concept-of-operations study that confirms the MIS-recommended alignment and recommends 'scenario 2'. Staff cited estimated capital and operating costs and an opening-as-early-as-2032 timeline; council members raised concerns that the proposed alignment provides limited direct benefit to Morrisville residents and debated sending a letter vs endorsing the LPA.
Town and regional staff presented the Wake Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Western Corridor extension concept-of-operations study and answered council questions on routing, service scenarios, and next steps.
Brett Martin, the town’s transportation project manager, introduced the update and said CAMPO had completed a concept-of-operations (CONOPS) study refining the Major Investment Study. Ben Howell, CAMPO/Wake Transit staff, summarized the findings: the CONOPS confirmed the MIS-recommended alignment (using NC 54 and Evans/McCrimmon), evaluated four operating scenarios, and recommended scenario 2 for the extension. Howell said the combined core and extension service has an estimated annual operating cost of about $9,400,000, a capital-cost estimate near $62,100,000, and would require 14 60-foot articulated buses; he said service could open as early as 2032 but stressed that schedule depends on filling a roughly $24,000,000 capital funding gap and other regional funding and implementation steps.
Councilmembers pressed how the alignment would serve Morrisville residents. Several said the recommended alignment largely serves regional employment centers and not neighborhoods inside Morrisville, and they urged study of alternative routings (including Davis Drive) or stronger local fixed-route connections and park-and-ride access. CAMPO staff responded that alternative 3 (Davis Drive) had been screened out in the MIS several years earlier, and they noted there are other planning processes that could revisit Davis Drive; staff also emphasized the regional purpose of the extension and the risk that changing the alignment now could jeopardize allocated funding. The council debated whether to adopt an endorsement resolution on the August 11 consent agenda or instead send a detailed letter to CAMPO. Several members said they would not endorse the LPA as currently proposed and favored sending a letter that documents Morrisville’s concerns and requests for further study; staff agreed to return with a draft letter and relevant background information for council review.
