Transportation Planning
The Town of Wake Forest is committed to ensuring the community is served by a robust, multi-modal transportation system. Transportation planning is a complex process that involves coordination between local, regional, state, and federal partners.
Beginning at the local level, the Town of Wake Forest maintains a Comprehensive Transportation Plan to guide transportation investments over the next 20 to 25 years. This plan is also used to inform plans produced at regional and state levels, which better ensures that projects receiving state and federal funding are aligned with the Town’s transportation goals and fit seamlessly into the regional transportation network.
Comprehensive Transportation Plan
The Comprehensive Transportation Plan (CTP) is a long-range multi-modal plan that identifies transportation need and proposes solutions for the next 20 to 25 years. The Plan comes in two forms: A full document with detailed write-ups, diagrams, maps, cross sections and more, and an interactive mapping companion that highlights existing and recommended transportation improvements
Public Transit Plan
With a rapid increase in population and development, expanded transit services are necessary in Wake Forest to provide residents, employees, and visitors additional mobility options beyond that of an automobile.
The Town conducted the Wake Forest Public Transit Plan (Transit Plan) to explore the options to expand transit to serve growing parts of the Town and connect to key activity centers.
The Transit Plan summarizes the evaluation of existing transit services in Wake Forest (as of 2023), discusses the viability of different transit expansion alternatives, and recommends a preferred option to expand transit – including the service type, cost of the service expansion, and steps to implement the service.
Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO)
Wake Forest is part of the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO), which is responsible for long-range transportation planning for the greater Raleigh regional area. As per federal guidelines, CAMPO produces a Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP), a fiscally constrained long-range planning document. Often, projects that are included in the MTP originate from local CTPs.
To better inform the MTP, CAMPO also works with local jurisdictions on small area planning. Specific to Wake Forest, CAMPO has drafted the Northeast Area Study (NEAS) and US 1 Corridor Study.
Greenway Planning
Greenways are protected paths that link pedestrians and cyclists to natural areas, as well as provide connections to parks, neighborhoods, and commercial centers.
The Town's first greenway was constructed in 2003. Currently there are 15.5 miles greenways in the Wake Forest system, with more greenways being built every year.
S-Line Project
The S-Line is a freight rail line, and former passenger rail line, owned by CSX, that connects Richmond, Virginia to Tampa, Florida. NC and Virginia are purchasing a portion of the S-Line rail right-of-way from Raleigh, NC to Petersburg, VA, in an effort to refurbish the corridor for new passenger rail service and eventual high-speed and commuter rail service. Completion of this project will directly link Wake Forest to the nation’s overall passenger rail network.
Transit in Wake Forest
The Town of Wake Forest believes in a multi-modal approach to transportation, which includes supporting bus service and paratransit.
South Main Street Corridor Study
The South Main Street Corridor Study examines existing traffic and access management conditions along South Main Street from US 1 (Capital Boulevard) to NC98 Bypass (Dr. Calvin Jones Highway) and recommends policies to improve safety, traffic flow, and bike & pedestrian infrastructure.
Southeast Rail Corridor
The Southeast Corridor is an improved freight and passenger rail network extending from Washington, D.C. to Jacksonville, Fla., that will enhance transportation options while connecting D.C., Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia and Florida. The Town of Wake Forest lies directly along this corridor on a segment called the “S-Line” and is positioned to receive passenger rail service as a result of this project.
In addition to the prospect of future passenger rail service, the refurbished corridor also provides an opportunity for commuter rail. Specifically, a commuter rail line between the towns of Apex and Wake Forest with Raleigh’s Union Station serving as a central hub. In light of this potential commuter rail line, NCDOT is in the process of analyzing supportive land use policies that will better ensure commuter rail’s success.
Active Transportation Projects
While the Long Range Planning Division is responsible for the planning of future transportation infrastructure, the Town’s Engineering Department oversees its implementation. Learn more about active and recently completed transportation projects.