NCDOT: Capital Boulevard North Upgrade (Raleigh to Wake Forest)

The Capital Boulevard North Upgrade project has evolved through various planning stages, public meetings and studies, all aimed at increasing the flow of traffic and improving safety along this busy route. Below are some milestones related to the project from the interchange on I-540 in Raleigh to Wake Forest.

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Studies & Work Group
In 2006, Phase 1 of the U.S. 1 Corridor Study was completed by the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization, the N.C. Department of Transportation, the City of Raleigh, Triangle Transit and the Town of Wake Forest. The study also included the Capital Boulevard North Upgrade (Raleigh to Wake Forest) and served as the starting point for further planning.

After the corridor study, the U.S. 1 Council of Planning was formed, which is a work group dedicated to maintaining the implementation of the U.S. 1 Corridor Study. The council is made up of municipalities and counties that have direct jurisdiction over land use ordinances within the corridor study area or public investments along the corridor, inter-governmental planning organizations with administrative duties for transportation planning along the U.S. 1 Corridor and NCDOT.
Public Involvement
Public input is a cornerstone of the NCDOT’s approach to transportation planning. Over the years, several key public meetings and open houses have been held to gather feedback and inform the public about the status of the project:

October 2018: NCDOT held two public meetings to present mainline and interchange concepts and gather public feedback. Service/connector roads were not yet determined and were not shown on meeting maps.

May 2019: A Raleigh Transportation Projects Open House was held to discuss several projects in the area, including the conversion of Capital Boulevard (U.S. 1) into a freeway between I-540 and Harris/Purnell Road. This event was part of a larger conversation about how to address traffic congestion and improve the flow of vehicles throughout the region.

December 2021: NCDOT hosted a public meeting webinar to present preliminary designs, including service/connector road options.

November 2022: NCDOT held a small group, neighborhood meeting to address the residents along Circle Drive. The purpose of this meeting was to provide information on the project and present the preliminary designs from the second public meeting for the two proposed interchange alternatives at Burlington Mills Road.

June 2023: NCDOT conducted a public hearing to comply with federal requirements related to the environmental document. The public hearing included an open house component followed by a formal presentation and comment session.

Additional Public Outreach: NCDOT has maintained an open line of communication with the public and continues to respond to comments and project inquiries by telephone and email throughout the life of the project. The project team has also fielded multiple developer requests to meet and discuss the project preliminary designs and their proposed developments in relation to the project plans. The project team has shared preliminary designs and provided information on how development plans may impact project design.
Environmental Documentation
December 2022: The Federal Highway Administration requested NCDOT to change the National Environmental Policy Act (an act to establish a national policy for the environment) from a Categorical Exclusion (a classification that a project does not have a significant impact on the environment) to an Environmental Assessment (a document that evaluates the environmental effects of a project)/Finding of No Significant Impact (an environmental document).

May 2023: The Environmental Assessment was completed and signed and included the NCDOT recommended alternatives that were presented at a public hearing in June 2023.

October 2023: NCDOT recommended alternatives were selected as the National Environmental Policy Act Process Concurrence Point 3 as the Least Environmentally Damaging Practicable Alternative.

April 2024: The Finding of No Significant Impact, an environmental document, was prepared in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act. NCDOT and the Federal Highway Administration determined that the project will not have a significant impact on the human and natural environment. The Finding of No Significant Impact is based on the Environmental Assessment signed by the Federal Highway Administration and NCDOT in May 2023.

Together, the Environmental Assessment and the Finding of No Significant Impact provide evidence that an Environmental Impact Statement is not required. Completion of the Finding of No Significant Impact fulfilled requirements under the National Environmental Policy Act, allowing the Federal Highway Authority to authorize NCDOT to proceed with final design, right-of-way acquisition and construction.

Last updated Apr. 14, 2025

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