TriEx
Encyclopedia
The Triangle Expressway (TriEx) will be the first toll road
built in North Carolina
, and one of the first toll roads in the United States built to use only electronic toll collection
instead of toll booths. The road will be six lanes and 18.8 miles (30.3 km) long, extending from the existing North Carolina Highway 147 (NC 147) in Durham County
to Morrisville
in Wake County
, where it continues along North Carolina Highway 540 (NC 540) to Holly Springs
. The overall freeway consists of two segments called the Triangle Parkway and the Western Wake Freeway.
and a $387 million loan from the federal government. The North Carolina Turnpike Authority
deposited this money on July 29, 2009, and on the same day the agency's executive director David W. Joyner signed contracts to pay $584 million of that money to three companies to build the road over the next 42 months, creating 13,800 jobs.
will build the 3.4 miles (5.5 km) northern section, an extension of NC 147 to be called Triangle Parkway, at a cost of $137.5 million, including an electronic toll plaza on I-540. The new road will extend from I-40
to an 2.8 miles (4.5 km) section of I-540 completed in 2007 which will become part of the toll road (because of rules against tolls on interstate highways, this section is now called NC 540). When Research Triangle Park
(RTP) was created, land was preserved and will be available for the Triangle Parkway's construction. Another $230 million will have to be spent on 525 acres (2.1 km²) of additional right-of-way for the entire road. , completion is expected in December 2011.
, and Archer Western Contractors of Atlanta will work together as Raleigh Durham Roadbuilders to complete the 12.6 miles (20.3 km) Western Wake Freeway at a cost of $446.5 million. This section of the Triangle Expressway, which extends from NC 55 at RTP to NC 55 at Holly Springs, will become part of NC 540. In summer 2009, work began on the freeway. , completion is expected in the fourth quarter of 2012. Tolls and $25 million a year from the North Carolina legislature will finance the project.
in Austin
, have been converted to all-electronic tolling with license plate recognition, and some toll roads, such as the Westpark Tollway
near Houston
, have been built with transponder-only all-electronic tolling. Also, toll roads outside the United States, such as the Highway 407 in Ontario
, have been built with all-electronic tolling and license plate recognition.
Drivers can open an account and use a transponder
, which results in a lower rate. Other drivers will have their license plates photographed, and they will receive a bill. The expected rates are 15–16 cents per mile for those with transponders, and 23–24 cents per mile for others.
On May 4, 2010, the Turnpike Authority signed a contract with TransCore to provide transponders. Drivers can, however, use their existing acccounts; North Carolina becomes the only state to offer this option. 350,000 new transponders are expected to be issued in the first five years. Transponder sales began October 11, 2011.
, whose leaders opposed the idea. The original parkway route, however, had no real opponents.
At the groundbreaking ceremony in 2009, Representative
David Price
pointed out that using tolls to finance this road "was not our first choice." Instead, area governments concluded the road would have taken 15 more years to complete any other way, so the decision to charge tolls came in 2005. The 12.5 miles (20.1 km) Western Wake Expressway from RTP to Holly Springs had been delayed earlier in the year, and the legislature
had increased the number of toll projects allowed from four to nine.
In July 2006, the legislature decided to allow the section of I-540 connecting the Triangle Parkway and Western Wake Expressway to be a toll road if the other two roads were also toll roads, even though the road was already being built.
Federal approval for the use of tolls came in January 2007. The Turnpike Authority asked that the new section of road not be called an Interstate.
Just before the July 2007 opening of the 4.5 miles (7.2 km) I-540 section between I-40 and NC 55, I-540 signs came down, replaced with NC 540 signs. Using the designation NC 540, a decision made in May 2007, was less confusing than giving the road an entirely new number.
The name "Triangle Expressway" became official in May 2007, and turnpike board member Perry R. Safran said the committee also wanted the nickname "TriEx".
On November 14, 2007, the board decided toll booths would not be used, and on June 5, 2008, the State House voted to approve $25 million a year for 39 years for the project. This would cover the difference between expected toll collections and actual costs.
Groundbreaking
was held on August 12, 2009 at the west end of Interstate 540
(I-540). "A dozen dignitaries" used shovels painted gold as 150 watched.
, just south of Knightdale
. Planning for the route started in 2010, but was put on hold on March, 2011 by the enactment of North Carolina Session Law 2011-7 (N.C. S.L. 2011-7), which forbid NCDOT to consider a few alternative routes. There is no time frame, at this time, when the Environmental Study will be completed and when proposed construction dates will be known.
!County
!Location
!Mile*
!Exit
*
!Destinations
!Notes
|-
|rowspan=3|Durham
|rowspan=3|
|
|5
|, RDU Airport
|Triangle Expressway begins; signed as exit 5A (east) and 5B (west)
|-
|
|
|Hopson Road
|
|-
|
|
|Davis Drive
|
|-
|Wake
|Morrisville
|
|
|
|
|-
!colspan=6|
!County
!Location
!Mile**
!Exit
**
!Destinations
!Notes
|-
|rowspan=8|Wake
|rowspan=3|Morrisville
|69.2
|69
|
|Triangle Expressway begins
|-
|68.4
|67
|
|
|-
|style="background:#ffdddd"|66.4
|style="background:#ffdddd"|66
|style="background:#ffdddd"|
|style="background:#ffdddd"|Triangle Expressway ends; signed as exits 66A (east) and 66B (west)
|-
|
|style="background:#ffdead"|
|style="background:#ffdead"|
|style="background:#ffdead"|Green Level Road
|style="background:#ffdead" rowspan=5|Western Wake Freeway – Under Construction (Projected: 2012)
|-
|rowspan=2|Apex
|style="background:#ffdead"|
|style="background:#ffdead"|
|style="background:#ffdead"|
|-
|style="background:#ffdead"|
|style="background:#ffdead"|
|style="background:#ffdead"|Old US 1
|-
|
|style="background:#ffdead"|
|style="background:#ffdead"|
|style="background:#ffdead"|
|-
|rowspan=1|Holly Springs
|style="background:#ffdead"|
|style="background:#ffdead"|
|style="background:#ffdead"|
|-
Note – Exit numbers and miles listed with (*) are based off NC 147; exit numbers with (**) are based of NC 540.
Toll road
A toll road is a privately or publicly built road for which a driver pays a toll for use. Structures for which tolls are charged include toll bridges and toll tunnels. Non-toll roads are financed using other sources of revenue, most typically fuel tax or general tax funds...
built in North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
, and one of the first toll roads in the United States built to use only electronic toll collection
Electronic toll collection
Electronic toll collection , an adaptation of military "identification friend or foe" technology, aims to eliminate the delay on toll roads by collecting tolls electronically. It is thus a technological implementation of a road pricing concept...
instead of toll booths. The road will be six lanes and 18.8 miles (30.3 km) long, extending from the existing North Carolina Highway 147 (NC 147) in Durham County
Durham County, North Carolina
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 223,314 people, 89,015 households, and 54,032 families residing in the county. The population density was 769 people per square mile . There were 95,452 housing units at an average density of 329 per square mile...
to Morrisville
Morrisville, North Carolina
Morrisville is a town in Wake County, North Carolina, United States. A small portion of the town extends into Durham County. The population was 18,576 according to a April 1, 2010 census. Morrisville is part of the Research Triangle metropolitan region...
in Wake County
Wake County, North Carolina
Wake County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2010 census, the population was 900,993 making it North Carolina's second most populated county...
, where it continues along North Carolina Highway 540 (NC 540) to Holly Springs
Holly Springs, North Carolina
Holly Springs is a town in Wake County, North Carolina, United States. As of 2009, the town population was estimated at 21,749, and it had gained the title of"The fastest growing town in North Carolina".-Geography:...
. The overall freeway consists of two segments called the Triangle Parkway and the Western Wake Freeway.
Description of the project
The money for the project comes from $625 million in bondsBond (finance)
In finance, a bond is a debt security, in which the authorized issuer owes the holders a debt and, depending on the terms of the bond, is obliged to pay interest to use and/or to repay the principal at a later date, termed maturity...
and a $387 million loan from the federal government. The North Carolina Turnpike Authority
North Carolina Turnpike Authority
The North Carolina Turnpike Authority was created in 2002 as a board with the authority to study, plan, develop and undertake preliminary design work for toll roads and toll bridges in the U.S. state of North Carolina. The NCTA has the power to design, establish, purchase, construct, operate, and...
deposited this money on July 29, 2009, and on the same day the agency's executive director David W. Joyner signed contracts to pay $584 million of that money to three companies to build the road over the next 42 months, creating 13,800 jobs.
Triangle Parkway
S. T. Wooten Corp. of Wilson, North CarolinaWilson, North Carolina
Wilson is a city and the county seat of Wilson County in the Coastal Plain region of the U.S. state of North Carolina. The 18th largest city in the state, Wilson had a population of 49,167 according to the 2010 census.- Geography :...
will build the 3.4 miles (5.5 km) northern section, an extension of NC 147 to be called Triangle Parkway, at a cost of $137.5 million, including an electronic toll plaza on I-540. The new road will extend from I-40
Interstate 40 in North Carolina
Interstate 40 runs through the state of North Carolina from the Tennessee state line in the west to its eastern terminus in Wilmington.-Pigeon River Gorge:...
to an 2.8 miles (4.5 km) section of I-540 completed in 2007 which will become part of the toll road (because of rules against tolls on interstate highways, this section is now called NC 540). When Research Triangle Park
Research Triangle Park
The Research Triangle Park is a research park in the United States. It is located near Durham, Raleigh, and Chapel Hill, in the Research Triangle region of North Carolina...
(RTP) was created, land was preserved and will be available for the Triangle Parkway's construction. Another $230 million will have to be spent on 525 acres (2.1 km²) of additional right-of-way for the entire road. , completion is expected in December 2011.
Western Wake Freeway
Granite Construction of Watsonville, CaliforniaWatsonville, California
Watsonville is a city in Santa Cruz County, California, United States. The population was 51,199 according to the 2010 census.Located on the central coast of California, the economy centers predominantly around the farming industry. It is known for growing strawberries, apples, lettuce and a host...
, and Archer Western Contractors of Atlanta will work together as Raleigh Durham Roadbuilders to complete the 12.6 miles (20.3 km) Western Wake Freeway at a cost of $446.5 million. This section of the Triangle Expressway, which extends from NC 55 at RTP to NC 55 at Holly Springs, will become part of NC 540. In summer 2009, work began on the freeway. , completion is expected in the fourth quarter of 2012. Tolls and $25 million a year from the North Carolina legislature will finance the project.
Tolls
The Triangle Expressway will be built as an all-electronic toll road with billing by license plate. Some existing toll roads, such as the 183A toll road183A toll road
The 183A Toll Road or 183A is a toll road in the Austin metropolitan area of the U.S. state of Texas. The road includes sections in north Austin, Cedar Park, and Leander. It provides a bypass for U.S. Highway 183. The road is owned and operated by the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority. ...
in Austin
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
, have been converted to all-electronic tolling with license plate recognition, and some toll roads, such as the Westpark Tollway
Westpark Tollway
The Westpark Tollway, also Fort Bend Westpark Tollway, is a limited-access toll road serving western Houston and Harris County, and northeastern Fort Bend County. Construction on the facility began in 2001 and portions of the road were opened to traffic in May 2004. Construction of the roadway...
near Houston
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
, have been built with transponder-only all-electronic tolling. Also, toll roads outside the United States, such as the Highway 407 in Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, have been built with all-electronic tolling and license plate recognition.
Drivers can open an account and use a transponder
Transponder
In telecommunication, the term transponder has the following meanings:...
, which results in a lower rate. Other drivers will have their license plates photographed, and they will receive a bill. The expected rates are 15–16 cents per mile for those with transponders, and 23–24 cents per mile for others.
On May 4, 2010, the Turnpike Authority signed a contract with TransCore to provide transponders. Drivers can, however, use their existing acccounts; North Carolina becomes the only state to offer this option. 350,000 new transponders are expected to be issued in the first five years. Transponder sales began October 11, 2011.
History
The "Triangle Parkway" was first proposed in 1958, as part of Research Triangle Park. On February 16, 2005, it was one of four roads selected by the Turnpike Authority to be built as toll roads in North Carolina. The estimated cost was $69 million for 3.2 miles (5.1 km) between Davis Drive and NC 54. An additional $29 million could be spent extending that highway 1.3 miles (2.1 km) to McCrimmon Parkway in MorrisvilleMorrisville, North Carolina
Morrisville is a town in Wake County, North Carolina, United States. A small portion of the town extends into Durham County. The population was 18,576 according to a April 1, 2010 census. Morrisville is part of the Research Triangle metropolitan region...
, whose leaders opposed the idea. The original parkway route, however, had no real opponents.
At the groundbreaking ceremony in 2009, Representative
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
David Price
David Price (American politician)
David Eugene Price is a professor and the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1997 and previously from 1987 to 1995. He is a member of the Democratic Party...
pointed out that using tolls to finance this road "was not our first choice." Instead, area governments concluded the road would have taken 15 more years to complete any other way, so the decision to charge tolls came in 2005. The 12.5 miles (20.1 km) Western Wake Expressway from RTP to Holly Springs had been delayed earlier in the year, and the legislature
North Carolina General Assembly
The North Carolina General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of North Carolina. The General Assembly drafts and legislates the state laws of North Carolina, also known as the General Statutes...
had increased the number of toll projects allowed from four to nine.
In July 2006, the legislature decided to allow the section of I-540 connecting the Triangle Parkway and Western Wake Expressway to be a toll road if the other two roads were also toll roads, even though the road was already being built.
Federal approval for the use of tolls came in January 2007. The Turnpike Authority asked that the new section of road not be called an Interstate.
Just before the July 2007 opening of the 4.5 miles (7.2 km) I-540 section between I-40 and NC 55, I-540 signs came down, replaced with NC 540 signs. Using the designation NC 540, a decision made in May 2007, was less confusing than giving the road an entirely new number.
The name "Triangle Expressway" became official in May 2007, and turnpike board member Perry R. Safran said the committee also wanted the nickname "TriEx".
On November 14, 2007, the board decided toll booths would not be used, and on June 5, 2008, the State House voted to approve $25 million a year for 39 years for the project. This would cover the difference between expected toll collections and actual costs.
Groundbreaking
Groundbreaking
Groundbreaking, also known as cutting, sod-cutting, turning the first sod or a sod-turning ceremony, is a traditional ceremony in many cultures that celebrates the first day of construction for a building or other project. Such ceremonies are often attended by dignitaries such as politicians and...
was held on August 12, 2009 at the west end of Interstate 540
Interstate 540 (North Carolina)
In the U.S. state of North Carolina, Interstate 540 and North Carolina Highway 540 share a partially completed interstate grade beltway, also known as the Raleigh Outer Loop, around the city of Raleigh. -Route description:...
(I-540). "A dozen dignitaries" used shovels painted gold as 150 watched.
Future
Planned as the next phase of the Triangle Express and the final segment of the Raleigh Beltway, the Triangle Expressway Southeast Extension (also known as the Southern and Eastern Wake Freeways) will traverse 30 miles (48.3 km) linking NC 540 and I-540Interstate 540 (North Carolina)
In the U.S. state of North Carolina, Interstate 540 and North Carolina Highway 540 share a partially completed interstate grade beltway, also known as the Raleigh Outer Loop, around the city of Raleigh. -Route description:...
, just south of Knightdale
Knightdale, North Carolina
Knightdale is a town and suburb of Raleigh, North Carolina in Wake County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 5,958 at the 2000 census, and estimated at 9,843 in January 2008. With the population boom experienced in the North Carolina Research Triangle area in the past two decades,...
. Planning for the route started in 2010, but was put on hold on March, 2011 by the enactment of North Carolina Session Law 2011-7 (N.C. S.L. 2011-7), which forbid NCDOT to consider a few alternative routes. There is no time frame, at this time, when the Environmental Study will be completed and when proposed construction dates will be known.
Triangle Parkway
|-!County
!Location
!Mile*
!Exit
Exit number
An exit number is a number assigned to a road junction, usually an exit from a freeway. It is usually marked on the same sign as the destinations of the exit, as well as a sign in the gore....
*
!Destinations
!Notes
|-
|rowspan=3|Durham
Durham County, North Carolina
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 223,314 people, 89,015 households, and 54,032 families residing in the county. The population density was 769 people per square mile . There were 95,452 housing units at an average density of 329 per square mile...
|rowspan=3|
|
|5
|, RDU Airport
Raleigh-Durham International Airport
Raleigh-Durham International Airport is a public international airport located 4.5 miles northeast of the town of Morrisville in suburban Wake County, North Carolina, United States. The airport covers and operates three runways, providing direct service to 40 domestic and international...
|Triangle Expressway begins; signed as exit 5A (east) and 5B (west)
|-
|
|
|Hopson Road
|
|-
|
|
|Davis Drive
|
|-
|Wake
Wake County, North Carolina
Wake County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2010 census, the population was 900,993 making it North Carolina's second most populated county...
|Morrisville
Morrisville, North Carolina
Morrisville is a town in Wake County, North Carolina, United States. A small portion of the town extends into Durham County. The population was 18,576 according to a April 1, 2010 census. Morrisville is part of the Research Triangle metropolitan region...
|
|
|
|
|-
!colspan=6|
Western Wake Freeway
|-!County
!Location
!Mile**
!Exit
Exit number
An exit number is a number assigned to a road junction, usually an exit from a freeway. It is usually marked on the same sign as the destinations of the exit, as well as a sign in the gore....
**
!Destinations
!Notes
|-
|rowspan=8|Wake
Wake County, North Carolina
Wake County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2010 census, the population was 900,993 making it North Carolina's second most populated county...
|rowspan=3|Morrisville
Morrisville, North Carolina
Morrisville is a town in Wake County, North Carolina, United States. A small portion of the town extends into Durham County. The population was 18,576 according to a April 1, 2010 census. Morrisville is part of the Research Triangle metropolitan region...
|69.2
|69
|
|Triangle Expressway begins
|-
|68.4
|67
|
|
|-
|style="background:#ffdddd"|66.4
|style="background:#ffdddd"|66
|style="background:#ffdddd"|
|style="background:#ffdddd"|Triangle Expressway ends; signed as exits 66A (east) and 66B (west)
|-
|
|style="background:#ffdead"|
|style="background:#ffdead"|
|style="background:#ffdead"|Green Level Road
|style="background:#ffdead" rowspan=5|Western Wake Freeway – Under Construction (Projected: 2012)
|-
|rowspan=2|Apex
Apex, North Carolina
Apex is a town in Wake County, North Carolina and a suburb of Raleigh. The population was 37,476 according to the 2010 census., wakegov.com-Geography:Apex is located at ....
|style="background:#ffdead"|
|style="background:#ffdead"|
|style="background:#ffdead"|
|-
|style="background:#ffdead"|
|style="background:#ffdead"|
|style="background:#ffdead"|Old US 1
|-
|
|style="background:#ffdead"|
|style="background:#ffdead"|
|style="background:#ffdead"|
|-
|rowspan=1|Holly Springs
Holly Springs, North Carolina
Holly Springs is a town in Wake County, North Carolina, United States. As of 2009, the town population was estimated at 21,749, and it had gained the title of"The fastest growing town in North Carolina".-Geography:...
|style="background:#ffdead"|
|style="background:#ffdead"|
|style="background:#ffdead"|
|-
Note – Exit numbers and miles listed with (*) are based off NC 147; exit numbers with (**) are based of NC 540.