The Triangle Transit Authority (TTA) provides regional bus service to the Research Triangle region of North Carolina.

Bus service

Triangle Transit Authority runs regular fixed-route bus service between Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill, interfacing with their municipal bus systems. TTA's main transfer center is located in the Research Triangle Park. During morning and evening rush hour, TTA runs routes serving Apex, Cary, Garner, and Hillsborough. (Hillsborough route was discontinued in 2002)

Regional rail

TTA plans to begin construction on a $800 million, 25-mile regional rail line in early 2005. The first phase of the rail line will operate with diesel multiple unit vehicles, and will extend from downtown Durham through the Research Triangle Park, Cary, through downtown Raleigh and end in north Raleigh. Twelve stops are scheduled to open in late 2008, while the remaining four will begin operation in 2011 or later, due to budgetary constraints.

Planned stops on the Phase I of the rail system are:

• Duke Medical Center - Duke University, West Campus (to open 2011 or later)
• Ninth Street - Duke University, East Campus
• Downtown Durham
• Alston Avenue - North Carolina Central University
• Research Triangle Park, North - IBM campus
• Research Triangle Park, South - Triangle Metro Center, connection to Raleigh-Durham International Airport
• Northwest Cary - Morrisville
• Downtown Cary
• West Raleigh
• State Fairgrounds - Carter-Finley Stadium, RBC Center
• North Carolina State University, Main Campus - eventual rail connection to NCSU's Centennial Campus
• Downtown Raleigh
• State Government Center
• Highwoods (to open 2011 or later)
• New Hope Church Road (to open 2011 or later)
• Spring Forest (to open 2011 or later)

Phase II is expected to include fixed-guideway extensions to Raleigh-Durham International Airport and to Chapel Hill.

Long term extensions of the rail system may include Hillsborough, northern Durham County, southern Wake County {including Apex, Holly Springs and Fuquay-Varina, and Garner, North Carolina), Wake Forest, and eastern Wake County (including Knightdale, Wendell, and Zebulon).

Funding

The regional rail line was allocated $20 million from the federal government in the 2005 budget proposed by President Bush.

External links

• Triangle Transit Authority
• Triangle Region Transit Consolidation Plan
• GoTriangle.Org - Triangle Region Trip Planner