Hoffman & Associates and GoTriangle begin RUS Bus project construction

Construction started April 25 on a bus facility and transit-oriented development project in Raleigh, N.C. The Raleigh Union Station Bus Facility will be a mixed-use development that includes a new bus facility along with residential, hospitality and retail spaces.

Partners Hoffman & Associates and GoTriangle explain the Raleigh Union Station Bus Facility (RUS Bus) with Raleigh Union Station will create a multimodal hub designed to enhance mobility for Wake County residents.

“We are honored to have the opportunity to work alongside GoTriangle and continue to shape the landscape of downtown Raleigh while enhancing the area’s connectivity,” said John Florian, Hoffman & Associates’ executive vice president for the Southern regional office. “RUS Bus will serve as a crucial piece in downtown Raleigh’s transportation and connectivity goals alongside a thoughtfully integrated mixed-use development and community space. As Raleigh continues to see expansive growth, RUS Bus will deliver expanded services and value to the greater community.”

Construction on the 1.76-acre site will begin with site preparation, including preserving a portion of the existing West Street warehouse façade which will be incorporated into the new development. A ground breaking is expected in 2023. The project is anticipated to be complete in mid-2025 and will include off-street transit space for local and regional buses, as well as pedestrian and bicycle enhancements alongside a new pedestrian bridge connecting RUS Bus to Raleigh Union Station and infrastructure to support a future bus rapid transit station.

“We are excited to start construction on this transformational project,” said GoTriangle President and CEO Charles E. Lattuca. “This unique bus transfer facility linked with Raleigh Union Station will provide critical transit connections for people across the region to get where they need to go. This project is the culmination of collaboration with federal, state, local and private partners to improve transit connectivity, and we thank them for their support.”

GoTriangle acquired the RUS Bus site – the former Dillon Supply property – in 2005 with support from a Federal Transit Administration grant. The public component of the project, including the off-street transit facility, is funded in part by a $20-million United States Department of Transportation grant, as well as state and county matching funds.

“As the population of Wake County grows at a rapid clip, GoTriangle and its partners are working to advance transit options, promote housing affordability and foster economic growth,” said Wake County Commissioner and GoTriangle Board Chair Sig Hutchinson. “This public-private project tackles all three fronts. In 2025, commuters arriving at the RUS Bus Facility and Raleigh Union Station by train, bus, bike or on foot will find easy access to travel on to their destinations.”

At full build-out, RUS Bus will be home to 500,000-square feet of mixed-use space on West Street, with plans for 18,000-square feet of retail space, 400-plus multi-family apartments and 200 hotel rooms. With 10 percent affordable residences for households at 80 percent Median Family Income across two high-rise buildings, RUS Bus will increase housing options in the area. In the only high-rise residential buildings in the Warehouse District, residents will enjoy unparalleled connectivity and expansive views of downtown Raleigh.

“RUS Bus – linked to Raleigh Union Station – will help us take a giant leap toward our vision of a regional transit network that connects people to opportunities and a choice of travel options,” Raleigh Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin said. “Whenever we can build walkable, mixed-use communities connected to transit, everyone wins.”