Ken Larsen's website - Rush hour traffic on I-40 near RTP, NC has become unbearable

November 20, 2018:  Interstate 40 near Research Triangle Park, NC turned into a near parking park.  Traffic was so heavy and so slow that I was traveling at just 8 mph in some sections ... despite no visible sign of an accident. 

Here is a dashcam video that starts at 7:06 PM EST on Tuesday November 20, 2018.  This is two days before Thanksgiving. 

This underscores my belief that we have a huge population problem.  [details]

On Tuesday, December 18, 2018 traffic crawled along at 7 MPH on a 3.3 mile segment.  I visited a friend in North Raleigh, and at 5:08 PM I joined I-40 at its intersection with I-540.  It took me 28 minutes and 50 seconds to travel 3.28 miles.  That equates to an average speed of 6.8 MPH.  [video of me leaving Route 540 and joining I-40 westbound]  Friends have told me that this is normal for rush hour traffic along I-40 from Raleigh almost to Chapel Hill.

Fortunately, I'm retired and don't have to battle I-40 traffic on a regular basis.  I used to work for IBM and drove I-40.  Traffic then was never as bad as it is now.

If anyone reading this web page is contemplating moving to Raleigh or working at Research Triangle Park, I would advise them to look elsewhere.  This place has become overdeveloped.

In 1972 I moved to Durham and would occasionally drive to Raleigh.  The main road was route 70, and I used to enjoy driving on it, because it was like riding a roller coaster.  There was only one traffic light (at the airport exit), and the entire road was a series of hills.  Now there are lots of traffic lights, and you have to stop at the top and bottoms of all the hills to await traffic light changes.

Impact fees should be assessed new development.  [details]

 

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