August 2019
| The N.C. Department of Transportation and Sound Rivers, Inc., Center for Biological Diversity and Clean Air Carolina, represented by the Southern Environmental Law Center, have signed a settlement agreement that will allow the North Carolina Turnpike Authority to proceed with the Complete 540 project.
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June 2018
| The N.C. Turnpike Authority received the Record of Decision from the Federal Highway Administration, signifying final federal approval of the project’s route. |
| February 2018 | The N.C. Turnpike Authority and NCDOT held a series of public meetings to provide information on the project, share the preliminary design of the project and gather feedback from the public. |
December 2017
| The Federal Highway Administration approved the
Final Environmental Impact Statement that was prepared for the Complete 540 project. |
| April 2016 | The N.C. Department of Transportation selected
Detailed Study Alternative 2 (orange-green-mint-green route) as the Preferred Alternative for the project. |
| February 2016 | NCDOT recommended Detailed Study Alternative 2 as the Preferred Alternative for the project. |
| December 2015 | NCDOT held
public meetings and a public hearing regarding the Draft Environmental Statement. |
| November 2015 | The Complete 540
Draft Environmental Impact Statement was published and followed by a public comment period (Nov. 9 until Jan. 8). |
| 2014 | Various engineering, planning and environmental studies were completed for the Detailed Study Alternatives. |
| December 2013 | NCDOT announced the alternatives that it would study in detail in the Draft Environmental Impact Statement. These alternatives are known as the Detailed Study Alternatives. |
| October 2013 | NCDOT presented all alternatives to the public to review and comment on during a series of
public meetings. Based on the comments received from the public, state and federal agencies as well as the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization, NCDOT decided to study all of the recommended alternatives in detail. These alternatives are known as the Detailed Study Alternatives and are shown on the
Detailed Study Alternatives Map. |
| September 2013 | NCDOT published the Draft Alternatives Development and Analysis Report, which included a list of recommended Detailed Study Alternatives. |
| July 2013 | NCDOT resumed all environmental study activities for the project. |
| June 2013 | North Carolina General Assembly enacted
House Bill 10 (Session Law 2013-94) and
House Bill 817 (Session Law 2013-183) to remove previous restrictions on studying the Red Corridor. These bills were signed into law, allowing NCDOT to resume the environmental study. |
| December 2012 | The Federal Highway Administration and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers issued a letter requiring full evaluation of the Red Corridor to remain eligible for federal funds and to meet the requirements of the
National Environmental Policy Act and
Section 404 of the Clean Water Act. The project could not be built without meeting these requirements. |
| March 2011 | North Carolina Session Law 2011-7 restricted NCDOT’s ability to evaluate the Red Corridor. |
| Late 2009 | Environmental study began. |
| 1996-1997 | In accordance with the North Carolina Transportation Corridor Official Map Act, NCDOT established a protected corridor for the portion of 540 between N.C. 55 Bypass in Apex and I-40 near the Johnston-Wake county line. A protected corridor preserves the location of a new road from encroaching development. |