Spencer Franklin
Bureau Chief of the Carolinas
HNTB
“Raleigh is introducing multimodal solutions throughout the region,” Franklin says. “From intercity rail projects and bus rapid transit (BRT) corridors to major toll freeways, the growing metropolitan area is committed to providing diverse transportation options to support its growing population.”
Wake County, home to more than a million people, is seeing new arrivals from across the country, he adds, bringing with them the urgent needs for infrastructure investment being made by the capital, and Franklin he says it marks a crucial period for the locality. The AEC community as agencies collaborate to deliver these connected transportation solutions.
Overall, the city is experiencing significant growth, he says, which led to a significant focus on sustainable development that aligns with community values. By integrating multimodal transportation options, Raleigh is also leveraging the infrastructure needed to implement electric and autonomous vehicles through initiatives aimed at improving mobility and reducing environmental impact to facilitate Raleigh’s growth in a responsible and dynamic manner.
“The rate of growth we’re experiencing in Raleigh is such a significant opportunity,” Franklin says. “Collaboration between key sectors – education, government, transport and beyond – is essential to ensure we grow sustainably.”
That growth has been Raleigh’s modus operandi for the past decade, Franklin adds, with the local transportation market matching its trajectory. Federal investment for intercity passenger rail is catalyzing connections in the capital, with funded studies underway for seven new intercity passenger rail corridors connecting Raleigh to Charlotte, as well as to more underserved parts of the state and connections to the northeast corridor.
ENR reported late last year on $8 billion in investment in US passenger rail by the Federal Railroad Administration, including $1 billion to build a new passenger rail route from Raleigh to Richmond, Va., the program’s largest prize.
The North Carolina Department of Transportation completed its environmental impact statement for the 162-mile corridor in 2015, which aims to improve regional safety, mobility and connectivity and provide alternatives to congested Interstates 85 and 95.
“If you fly into Raleigh today, you’ll see a landscape full of commercial, industrial and residential construction.”
—Spencer Franklin, Carolina Bureau Leader, HNTB
Franklin calls the project “a game changer for East Coast travel,” which will cut passenger train travel time between the two cities from nearly five hours to two and a half hours, with expected speeds of more than 110 miles per hour
HNTB leads what Franklin says is the most complex element of the program: the line that runs through downtown Raleigh and north to Richmond.
Tech giants like Apple and Google have recently chosen to set up campuses in Raleigh’s Research Triangle Park, underscoring the city’s research and technology landscape and helping local college students make the decision to stay in the city and boost the growth of the city.
“If you fly into Raleigh today, you’ll see a landscape full of commercial, industrial and residential construction,” he says. “As the city experiences rapid expansion, the construction industry plays a crucial role in ensuring that infrastructure development keeps pace with growth.”
Dodge’s data for Raleigh projects a nearly $1 billion increase in construction starts by 2025, with the largest increase, $633 million, in residential starts.
Total nonbuilding starts, which includes transportation, utilities and other public works, will rise by just over $100 million in 2025, although all sectors under that umbrella except roads and bridges will fall. Dodge anticipates an increase of $116 million for the start of highways and bridges, for an estimated total of $720 million.
HNTB, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary in Raleigh this year, is also working on GoRaleigh, one of the state’s first bus rapid transit programs. The firm is providing the final design for two of the four corridors connecting Raleigh to neighboring communities. HNTB has also partnered with NCDOT and the NC Turnpike Authority on the Complete 540 project, a $2.3 billion effort to connect communities around the Triangle, the largest investment in highway infrastructure in NCDOT’s history.
Additionally, NCDOT announced in February that a joint venture with Flatiron Construction Corp. and Fred Smith Co. is moving forward on the $449.9 million Phase 2, which Franklin says began in May and will open in late 2028.
