Richhamleigh, DC

I counted 33 levels?

Copa envisions expanding service from RDU. RDU-SJO makes sense...

I am forced to use 95 between DC and Richmond every week. I've concluded that VDOT is comprised of morons. First, aside from 95, there's only one other north/south route, except for the perpetually clogged US1 within 50 miles of I-95. Next, VA counties keep approving 100's of subdivisions that are filled with cul-de-sacs. They never got the memo about connectivity. The lack of connectivity and dearth of north-south routes means local traffic has to use the interstate to get around the region. Interstate highways aren't supposed to be an alternative for terrible land use decisions and fatal patterns of development. (Don't travel north of Richmond at lunch or dinner time and god help you around Dale City during a weekend afternoon when people are out shopping.) Lastly, the "Express Lanes" are absurd - they should have followed New Jersey's model - Express lanes in BOTH directions. Bless Virginia's heart.

It's a good example of North Carolina not putting NC first. Screw MB.

How a $75 million infrastructure project in North Carolina could propel development along I-85 https://www.bizjournals.com/triangle/news/2024/04/16/granville-county-i85-water-sewer-development-nc.html?cx_testId=40&cx_testVariant=cx_45&cx_artPos=0#cxrecs_s In general this just pisses me off. We have got to start aligning our growth aspirations with our transportation realities. I-85 north of the I-885 interchange is two-lanes and frequently stop and go traffic, or just plain stopped. Part of this is the age and condition of the overpasses in Durham County. NCDOT has ZERO $ to improve 85 north of Durham and won't have $ for at least 20 years. Transportation $$ in the Triangle are dedicated to the widening of I-40 and I-85 west of Durham (in the Durham MPO area). Fortunately, Butner's 2040 Plan does call for more connectivity and more overpasses (not more exits) over I-85 to help reduce the need for local traffic to use the interstate. Butner 2040 also envisions bike and pedestrian connections over Falls Lake parallel to 85 to connect with Durham Greenways. Development follows transportation. Butner gets it. Any town or city that doesn't prove that they have planned and have funding for transportation improvements should be penalized in some way.

Lufthansa says it's looking for space near RDU to "support" its flight to Raleigh. This seems like overkill for a flight that will operate 5 days a week, or not?

The reality is that Tennessee and Nashville dont come close to media market sizes, economies, and population of North Carolina. MLB would be stupid to ignore NC.

Yikes. https://abcnews.go.com/amp/US/bankruptcy-documents-detail-gop-nc-governor-nominee-mark/story?id=108763847

Old but wirth reoeating. The Raleigh-Durham area, always seemed lika perfect fit for IKEA. https://wraltechwire.com/2023/04/20/ikea-plans-8-more-large-stores-in-us-as-part-of-2b-expansion/

I've thought about how with the rapid growth if Wilmington-MB that one day a new international airport, midway between the two centers, might be a interesting option. Imagine the airport connected to both by a commuter rail line linking the Wilmington and Myrtle Beach or at least, an interstate-standard freeway. Currently, the 2 metros are rapidly nearly 1 million.

Is there room for one of IKEA'S scaled down products?

Meanwhile, other states like Connecticut, are gearing uo to pounce on NC if Robinson is elected.

I think of Tampa and SD as being large metros and Orlando and Vegas are, as you say, global tourism destinations.

Air France now flies RDU -CDG. RDU has 8 international carriers lined up 2024. Iceland, Lufthansa, Air France, Copa, Aeromexico, Air Canada, Bahamasair, with AA operating the daily to London. I think only Austin comes close to RDU among mid-sized metro non-hub airports.

Indeed, CLT2014 -- I was seeing MSA but the metros are comprised of "metro divisions" not unique MSAs. Which makes the separation of Raleigh and Durham even less logical.