Although some final jobs remain to be done, an electronically tolled, six-lane, 18-mile segment of the Complete 540 (Triangle Expressway) Project is now open to traffic between Apex, North Carolina, and I-40 outside Raleigh, The Herald Sun reports. “The highway will make it easier to get to and from Research Triangle Park without going through Raleigh. It will also help spur development in southern Wake [County] and change commuting patterns for people who live there and in neighboring Johnston and Harnett counties.” The opening, scheduled for 6:00 AM today, was delayed by several weeks due to erosion issues following Tropical Storm Debby.
“Tolls vary with miles on the road. Drivers with an NC Quick Pass transponder in their car will pay $8.01 to drive the length of the Triangle Expressway from Research Triangle Park south and east to I-40. Drivers without Quick Pass will pay 35% higher rates and receive a bill in the mail.”
Construction began in the spring on the final, 10-mile segment of the expressway project. It will connect I-40 with I-87 and close an outer loop (NC 540) around Raleigh when completed in 2028. The article looks at the history of the project and explains why only the southern half of Raleigh’s outer ring will be tolled.
Johnstonian News talks to some local residents about when and why they will pay to use the expressway instead of non-tolled secondary routes.