Six Forks Rd Expansion Project – at a Standstill

Date: March 30, 2025
To: Raleigh City Council
Re: Six Forks Rd Expansion Project

Dear Councilors,

I recently read the following in the local news (Raleigh Magazine, March 27, 2025):

Six Forks at a standstill? The long-planned expansion of one of Raleigh’s most heavily trafficked thoroughfares just hit a massive roadblock with the projected spend soaring from $56.1M to $93.5M, driven by rising construction costs and a thriving real estate market. Originally part of the city’s 2017 $206.7 million transportation bond, that hefty price tag pushes the project way over the originally allocated $60M budget.

It is time to put this project—and maybe a few other CIP programs–on hold for a number of reasons.

The most important reason are the economic shenanigans occurring in Washington, DC. It appears that the current administration’s actions may very well torch the economy. With all of the uncertainty we are facing, it is time to reconsider the City of Raleigh spending priorities.

I would strongly suggest that for very practical reasons, that instead of funding road projects in the current political atmosphere, that you instead increase the pay of our first responders, provide our firefighters with the separation allowance that they have been requesting, and provide the Parks & Recreation Department the necessary funds to protect, preserve and enhance our tree canopy. These issues are much more important at this point in time than adding more lanes of asphalt.

I have been watching the 11.6-million-dollar Atlantic Avenue Improvement Project. The stated reason for making these improvements from the city website was as follows:

The City is improving Atlantic Avenue between New Hope Church Road and Highwoods Boulevard. Crash data shows multiple accidents at the Ingram Drive intersection because of limited visibility. So, as part of this project, we are raising the intersection to improve the sight distance issue.

In order to accomplish these improvements a small forest of mature trees was cut down.

Yes, new trees will be planted, but at a recent Reflecting Raleigh event on March 11, 2025, held at Durant Nature Park, speaker Greg Levine from Trees Atlanta stated that “you cannot plant your way out of tree loss.”

The substantial number of trees we are losing in Raleigh is a tragedy.

Between 2010 and 2020 Wake County lost 11,112 acres of tree canopy over the last decade, a land area double the size of William B. Umstead State Park, according to a county assessment. Raleigh lost 1,305 acres, about 2.2%, of its tree canopy.

The City will incur even greater tree loss with the Six Forks Road Expansion Project. It is time not only to think in a different direction, but to change direction.

In my opinion, the multiple accidents at Ingram Dr—I drive this area frequently–were not so much due to limited visibility, as they were actually due to drivers ignoring the signs indicating that there should be no left turns on to Ingram Drive at certain times of the day, and no left turns from Ingram Dr on to Atlantic Avenue.. It would have been much simpler and less expensive to have installed a narrow two-foot-high concrete barrier that would prevent left turns from Atlantic Ave on to Ingram Dr, as well as prevent left turns from Ingram Dr on to Atlantic Ave. We need to look at less expensive, practical solutions. Sometimes less is more.

It is so very easy for some folks to just recommend another bond issue, but those bonds will eventually become due and may require another increase in property taxes. Property taxes are already high, and there is no question that the current levels of property taxes are straining the budgets of the average taxpayer. It would be a mistake to assume that reaching into the taxpayers’ wallets should be the default strategy. If we have shortfalls, maybe development is not paying its way.

So, to reiterate, let us fund our first responders and our environment first.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

Bob Mulder, Former Chair

Raleigh Planning Commission