RDU kicks off effort to move and overhaul the airport’s main street
Raleigh-Durham International Airport plans to realign John Brantley Boulevard, the road that runs between the two terminals and often backs up as drivers come to pick up or drop off passengers.
The project has two goals.
▪ The first is to extend the road 350 feet toward the north. That will create more space on the north end of the parking decks, where the airport eventually plans to build a new structure for rental cars.
▪ The second is to help ease traffic at the biggest bottleneck on the airport campus, where John Brantley meets International Drive as they both approach Terminal 2. The airport plans to reconfigure that intersection and build two bridges that should improve the flow between Terminal 1 and Terminal 2.
RDU also plans to widen the road from two lanes to four in front of Terminal 1. Construction is expected to get started sometime in 2025.
Public workshop Wednesday
The effort kicks off with a public workshop Wednesday to talk about the potential environmental impacts. RDU is not required to do state or federal environmental studies for the John Brantley Boulevard project but has devised its own internal environmental review process that includes two opportunities for public feedback.
RDU officials will explain the project and the environmental review from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at the RDU Center, 1000 Trade Drive. The public also has until 5 p.m. Dec. 19 to suggest topics for the environmental review by email, publiccomment@rdu.com, or by mail to RDUAA Environmental Programs, P.O. Box 80001, RDU Airport, N.C., 27623.
The airport will hold another public workshop to present the findings of the environmental review, before construction begins.
The overhaul of John Brantley Boulevard is part of $3 billion in construction projects underway or planned at RDU over the coming decade. They include a new main runway, a larger remote parking lot and additional gates at both terminals.
The projects include a consolidated rental car complex or CONRAC that would move all the rental car companies into a new multi-story garage north of the main parking decks. Travelers will be able to reach the counters and cars on foot from the terminals, eliminating the need for the shuttle buses that now circle the airport campus.
This story was originally published December 9, 2024 at 11:22 AM.
