Raleigh tries again to get bus rapid transit construction started
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What the bus rapid transit line on New Bern Avenue would look like. Rendering: Courtesy of the city of Raleigh
Raleigh is once again trying to entice a construction firm to submit a bid on building its first bus rapid transit line along New Bern Avenue.
Why it matters: The city hopes bus rapid transit — and the dedicated bus lanes and stations it would bring — will be a key part of the way Raleighites get around the city as its population continues to soar.
- But after ceremoniously breaking ground last year, no construction has started on the BRT line.
Driving the news: This week, the city put out the first of what it says will be three construction packages for companies to bid on.
- This is the third time the city has put out bids, with the previous two rounds not receiving any bids the city deemed workable.
- The first phase of the new bids would focus on a downtown section of the BRT line and then New Bern Avenue to Poole Road. Bids will be accepted until June 20.
State of play: It's a critical moment for Raleigh, as the last time the city put the project out to bid, it got no responses, lengthening timelines for when the city can finish a BRT line and potentially making it more expensive.
- It will be the first project of its kind in North Carolina, though other U.S. cities such as Richmond have built systems. Raleigh has budgeted around $90 million for the New Bern Avenue leg of BRT.
- That newness kept many contractors from bidding, the city previously said. There were also concerns about how fast the city hoped the project would be completed and competition from other roadwork across the region due to Hurricane Helene.
- The new bid calls for a 30-month construction period for the first section of BRT.
What they're saying: Het Patel, transit planning supervisor for the city of Raleigh, said in a statement to Axios the city is optimistic that the changes to the project will result in an awarded contract.
- The city has "had one-on-one conversations with more than 10 local and regional contractors to gather feedback that has been incorporated into this bid advertisement, which should make it more attractive," Patel said.
- If they award a contract this time, Patel said, the goal is to get construction started this fall or winter.
Zoom in: Raleigh's first of four BRT lines will run 5.4 miles down New Bern Avenue between downtown and WakeMed and New Hope Road.
- Buses will operate in their own lanes, have elevated platforms at 10 stations and get priority green lights.
The big picture: The BRT network will one day stretch in four directions from downtown, including a southern leg to downtown Garner, a western leg to downtown Cary and northern routes to North Hills and Triangle Town Center.
- Already, the planned routes are influencing development and land acquisitions along the future routes.