Raleigh Updates Bus Rapid Transit Plans, Major Work Moves Forward

The City of Raleigh issued a multi corridor update on November 20, 2025 that advanced planning and design work for Wake County Bus Rapid Transit projects. The New Bern Avenue corridor was listed as moving toward construction activities, with contractor selection continuing through spring 2026. The Southern corridor reached 30 percent design and those plans were posted publicly. The Western corridor entered the final design phase, progressing from 30 percent to 100 percent design, and the City said public engagement opportunities will follow completion of the 30 percent designs. The Northern corridor was reported to be in the final phases of a Major Investment Study with expected completion in late 2025.

Planners described Bus Rapid Transit as high capacity, bus based transit along key corridors intended to provide fast, reliable, frequent service. The countywide plan anticipates service fully available by 2035, and envisions about 20 miles of dedicated transit lanes across the four corridors approved by Wake County voters in 2016. Project elements cited include dedicated lanes, traffic signal priority, off board fare collection, elevated platforms and enhanced stations, all aimed at reducing delay and improving safety and reliability.

For Wake County residents the updates signal a shift from planning to action. New Bern Avenue moving toward construction will bring visible work in neighborhoods already served by heavy traffic, affecting traffic patterns, temporary lane adjustments and staging zones. The public posting of 30 percent designs for the Southern corridor and the promise of engagement around Western corridor designs present concrete opportunities for residents and businesses to shape station area planning and downtown mobility changes. The cross linked updates to other City transportation pages reflect coordination across projects that will influence development patterns, commuter choices and local transit access.

Next steps include contractor selection for New Bern Avenue, completion of the Northern corridor study, and staged public meetings as designs reach 30 percent. Residents who commute along these corridors will see planning details transition into tangible infrastructure decisions over the coming months and years as the county moves toward a more connected transit network.