North Carolina’s toll road to be extended

The “first modern toll road” in North Carolina is being extended an additional 10 miles as part of the Complete 540 project in the Raleigh, N.C., area.

According to the North Carolina Department of Transportation, this extension of the Triangle Expressway will ease traffic on local roadways, connecting cities such as Cary, Clayton, Garner and Holly Springs.

This 10-mile extension connects the North Carolina Highway 55 Bypass in Apex, N.C., to Interstate 87/U.S. Highway 64/U.S. Highway 264 in Knightdale, N.C. This is the second phase of the project.

Phase 1 of the project, being completed in three sections, covers 18 miles of the Triangle Expressway connecting state Highway 55 to Interstate 40/U.S. Highway 70.

As of Wednesday, Feb. 7, construction was scheduled for areas between these sections of roadway as part of the toll road extension project:

• State Highway 55 Bypass to east of Pierce Olive Road
• East of Pierce Olive Road to East of U.S. Highway 401
• East of U.S. Highway 401 to I-40

On Feb. 4, the ramp connection from the southbound lanes of the N.C. 55 Bypass to Toll N.C. 540 West is scheduled to temporarily close to traffic from 1:00-6:00 p.m. Learn more: https://t.co/MX9aLY0kpm

— N.C. Turnpike Authority (@NCTurnpike) February 1, 2024

A complete list of lane and ramp closures related to the Complete 540 project is available on the NCDOT website.

The projected timeline currently available says Phase 1 will open to traffic in spring 2024, the same timeframe that construction on Phase 2 is set to begin.

A $417 million loan through the Build America Bureau was awarded to the North Carolina Turnpike Authority to fund the project.

Triangle Expressway toll increase

Just last month, a rate increase to $3.94 for N.C. Quick Pass users traveling the full length of the Triangle Expressway went into effect.

Those rates are about 35% higher for travelers paying with cash or credit card. In addition, vehicles with four or more axles pay four times the toll rate in North Carolina.

Paying off bonds sold to fund construction of the toll road and operations and maintenance of toll facilities was the reason for the increased rates, according to the North Carolina Turnpike Authority. LL

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