North Carolina Construction News staff writer
After two failed attempts to secure a contractor for the Wake Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project, Raleigh officials plan to release a new request for proposals (RFP) this spring, aiming to reignite interest and move the $97 million initiative forward.
City staff met with local contractors in January to discuss ways to make the project more appealing to potential bidders.
The City of Raleigh first advertised for project bids last year, but received none. A second attempt resulted in a single proposal from the Fred Smith Company, but that bid was significantly higher than the project’s available budget and was rejected by City Council.
Stakeholders suggested the project be broken into smaller geographic pieces that would be more achievable for different types of contractors.
However, one package involving clearing and grubbing work, drew unanimous disinterest from contractors during the Industry Day session. Other segmented packages include separate horizontal roadway construction areas and a distinct scope for building bus stations and platforms.
The revised RFP is expected to be issued sometime this spring, with construction expected to start in summer 2025. The projected completion timeline has also been adjusted to span three to three and a half years—longer than the original two-year estimate.
City leaders hope the new strategy will attract a broader pool of bidders and keep the project on track as a key part of Raleigh’s evolving transportation infrastructure.
Wake BRT, is a major public transportation initiative led by the City of Raleigh and GoRaleigh. Funded in part by the Wake Transit Plan, the project aims to create a network of dedicated bus lanes and enhanced transit services throughout the city and surrounding Wake County.
Four corridors are planned as part of the project: New Bern Avenue, Southern, Western, and Northern. The New Bern Avenue corridor, which stretches about 5.1 miles from downtown Raleigh to the WakeMed hospital campus, is the most advanced and expected to be the first to begin construction. The remaining corridors are in earlier stages of planning and design.
The overall cost of the Wake BRT network is expected to exceed $200 million, with funding coming from a mix of local sales tax revenues, state contributions, and federal grants such as the Federal Transit Administration’s Small Starts program.
Construction on the first corridor was originally scheduled to begin in 2024 but has been delayed due to challenges with contractor bids and rising costs. City officials now anticipate breaking ground in summer 2025.