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Capital Area Greenway

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The Capital Area Greenway is a greenway trail system through the city of Raleigh, North Carolina . Started in 1974, it currently spans over 112 miles (161 km) and 3800 acres (12 km²) throughout much Wake County. The Greenway system also connects to similar systems in neighboring counties and trails built by individual towns within Wake County which are not formally integrated into the Greenway system. Portions of the system are also part of larger national and regional trail system such as the East Coast Greenway and the Mountains-to-Sea Trail .

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89-449: In the early 1970s, some citizens of the City of Raleigh became increasingly concerned about growth in and around the city. At the time some thought that the increasing urbanization would destroy the city's natural environment and characteristics. In 1970 Raleigh had a population of around 118,000. By 2015, just forty-five years later, it had just under half a million. City officials responded to

178-630: A state capital . Its original boundaries were formed by the downtown streets of North, East, West and South. The plan, a grid with two main axes meeting at a central square and an additional square in each corner, was based on Thomas Holme 's 1682 plan for Philadelphia . The city was developed on the land of various plantations including Crabtree , Mordecai , Oak View , Pine Hall , Pullen , Spring Hill , and Wakefield . The North Carolina General Assembly first met in Raleigh in December 1794, and granted

267-887: A AAA Minor League baseball affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays , and the Carolina Mudcats , based in Zebulon, are the Advanced-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers . In Cary, North Carolina FC plays in the second-tier USL Championship The area also had a team in the fledgling World League of American Football – however, the Raleigh–Durham Skyhawks , coached by Roman Gabriel , did not exactly cover themselves in glory; they lost all 10 games of their inaugural (and only) season in 1991. The team folded after that, being replaced in

356-578: A broader 24-county area which includes Fayetteville, North Carolina , and has a population of 2,726,000 persons. Most of the Triangle is part of North Carolina's first , second , fourth , ninth , and thirteenth congressional districts. The region is sometimes confused with the Piedmont Triad , which is a North Carolina region adjacent to and directly west of the Triangle comprising Greensboro , Winston-Salem , and High Point , among other cities. Both

445-551: A city manager. The Dorton Arena , a 7,610-seat multi-purpose arena designed by Matthew Nowicki , was opened in 1952 on the grounds of the North Carolina State Fair. It was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. Raleigh experienced significant damage from Hurricane Hazel in 1954. In 1953, WNAO-TV , channel 28, became the city's first television station, though it folded in 1957. With

534-730: A difficulty in competing with US Airways ' hub in Charlotte and Delta Air Lines ' hub in Atlanta, Georgia for passengers traveling between smaller cities in the North and South. Midway Airlines entered the market, starting service in 1995 with the then somewhat novel concept of 50-seat Canadair Regional Jets providing service from its RDU hub primarily along the East Coast. Midway, originally incorporated in Chicago , had some success after moving its operations to

623-410: A letter of surrender for Raleigh. Their intention was to protect Raleigh from the destruction inflicted on other cities by Union troops. Graham and Swain departed to meet the advancing Federal forces on the morning of April 12, 1865, and were to return by that evening. The evening struck, but Graham and Swain had not returned due to train delays and their temporary capture by Sherman. Governor Vance left

712-507: A new 70 mi (110 km) loop around Wake County, traffic congestion eased somewhat in the North Raleigh area. Completion of the entire loop is expected to take another 15 years. Research Triangle The Research Triangle , or simply The Triangle , are both common nicknames for a metropolitan area in the Piedmont region of the U.S. state of North Carolina . Anchored by

801-572: A new county. On January 5, 1771, the bill creating Wake County was passed in the General Assembly. The county was formed from portions of Cumberland , Orange , and Johnston counties, and was named for Margaret Wake Tryon , the wife of Governor William Tryon . The first county seat was Bloomsbury . New Bern , a port town on the Neuse River 35 mi (56 km) from the Atlantic Ocean,

890-525: A popular carousel ride. Relocated to Pullen Park , the Pullen Park Carousel is still operating. From 1914 to 1917, an influenza epidemic killed 288 Raleighites. In 1922, WLAC signed on as the city's first radio station, but lasted only two years. WFBQ signed on in 1924 and became WPTF in 1927. It is now Raleigh's oldest continuous radio broadcaster. In 1923, the Raleigh Fall Festival

979-406: A wetland to be used as a buffer between homes in the area's and creeks that often overflow. This included a trail near what was then the newly opened Crabtree Valley Mall - that regularly flooded during heavy rain. The City of Raleigh started purchasing land for what would become the nation's first citywide greenway system in 1974. By the end of 1975, the city compiled a few isolated paths around

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1068-653: Is Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools within Orange County but apart from Orange County Schools). Based in Cary, the Wake County Public School System , which includes the cities of Raleigh and Cary, is the largest school system in the state of North Carolina and the 15th-largest in the United States, with average daily enrollment of 159,949 as of the second month of the 2016–17 school year. Other larger systems in

1157-579: Is defined by Nielsen as including Chatham, Cumberland, Dunn, Durham, Granville, Halifax, Harnett, Hoke, Johnston, Lee, Moore, Northampton, Orange, Robeson, Vance, Wake, Warren, Wayne , and Wilson Counties, along with parts of Franklin County. Numerous newspapers and periodicals serve the Triangle market. The Triangle is part of the Raleigh–Durham– Fayetteville Designated Market Area for broadcast television. As of 2015 –16,

1246-463: Is designated US 1 for half of its route and US 401 the other is not a limited-access freeway, although it is a major thoroughfare through northeast Raleigh and into the northern downtown area. North Carolina Highway 147 is a limited-access freeway that connects I-85 with Toll Route NC 540 in northwestern Wake County. The older, toll-free portion of the four-lane route—known as the Durham Freeway or

1335-743: Is located near the geographic center of The Triangle, 4 + 1 ⁄ 2 miles (7.2 km) northeast of the town of Morrisville in Wake County . The airport covers 5,000 acres (2,023 ha) and has three runways . In 1939 the General Assembly of North Carolina chartered the Raleigh–Durham Aeronautical Authority, which was changed in 1945 to the Raleigh–Durham Airport Authority. The first new terminal opened in 1955. Terminal A (now Terminal 1) opened in 1981. American Airlines began service to RDU in 1985. RDU opened

1424-406: Is located within Wake County , with a small portion extending into Durham County . The towns of Apex , Cary , Clayton , Fuquay-Varina , Garner , Holly Springs , Knightdale , Morrisville , Rolesville , Wake Forest , Wendell , and Zebulon are some of Raleigh's primary nearby suburbs and satellite towns . Raleigh is an early example in the United States of a planned city . Following

1513-547: Is on tying up those loose ends," said Vic Lebsock the Senior Greenway Planner for Raleigh as of 2017. Raleigh, North Carolina Raleigh ( / ˈ r ɔː l i / RAW -lee ) is the capital city of the U.S. state of North Carolina and the seat of Wake County . It is the second-most populous city in North Carolina , after Charlotte . Raleigh is the tenth-most populous city in

1602-560: Is part of the Raleigh–Durham–Fayetteville television designated media area and is the 25th-largest in the country with 1,135,920 households (2014) included in that area and the second largest television market in North Carolina. It is part of the Raleigh–Durham Nielsen Audio radio market (code 115) and is the 42nd-largest in the country with a population of 1,365,900. The Raleigh–Durham–Fayetteville market

1691-469: Is provided by American, Frontier and JetBlue, while the Canada flights are provided by Air Canada, Paris by Delta, and Reykjavik by Icelandair. Icelandair is the first international carrier outside of Air Canada to service the airport. Delta Air Lines currently considers the airport to be a "focus city", or an airport that is not a hub, but is of importance to the carrier. The COVID-19 pandemic significantly shrunk

1780-712: The American Revolutionary War when the U.S. gained independence, the area was chosen as the site of the state capital in 1788 and incorporated in 1792 as such. The city was originally laid out in a grid pattern with the North Carolina State Capitol at the center, in Union Square. During the American Civil War , the city was spared from any significant battle. It fell to the Union in the closing days of

1869-504: The Battle of Morrisville nearby. Due to the economic and social problems of the postwar period and Reconstruction , with a state economy still heavily dependent on agriculture, the city grew little over the next several decades. Shaw University , the South's first African American college, began classes in 1865 and was chartered in 1875. Its Estey Hall was the first building constructed for

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1958-696: The Carolina Hurricanes , becoming the city's first major league professional sports franchise. In 1999, the Raleigh Entertainment and Sports Arena (later renamed the RBC Center and now called Lenovo Center ), opened to provide a home for the Hurricanes and the NC State Wolfpack men's basketball team, as well as an up-to-date major concert venue. In the first decade of the 21st century, Raleigh

2047-574: The Olympic Flame passed through Raleigh while on its way to the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta . Also in 1996, Hurricane Fran struck the area, causing massive flooding and extensive structural damage. In addition, WRAL-TV became the first High-Definition broadcast station in the world. In 1997, the National Hockey League 's Hartford Whalers announced their intention to move to Raleigh as

2136-509: The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill ) are all members of the ACC . Rivalries among these schools are very strong, fueled by proximity to each other, with annual competitions in every sport. Adding to the rivalries is the large number of graduates the high schools in the region send to each of the local universities. It is very common for students at one university to know many students attending

2225-700: The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill ). The name of the Research Triangle (often shortened to "The Triangle") originated after the 1959 creation of Research Triangle Park (RTP), located in Durham and Wake counties, among the three cities and universities. The Triangle encompasses the Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC Combined Statistical Area , which had an estimated population of 2,368,947 in 2023. The Raleigh-Cary, NC Metropolitan Statistical Area had an estimated population of 1,509,231 in 2023. Most of Raleigh

2314-557: The World University Summer Games in 2029. The region has only one professional team of the four major sports , the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League , based in Raleigh. Since moving to the Research Triangle region from Hartford, Connecticut , they have enjoyed great success, including winning a Stanley Cup . The North Carolina Courage began play in the National Women's Soccer League in 2017 after

2403-474: The disenfranchisement of most Black citizens and many poor White citizens. Loss of the ability to vote also disqualified Black men (and later women) from sitting on juries and serving in any office—local, state or federal. The rising Black middle-class in Raleigh and other areas was politically silenced and shut out of local governance, and the Republican Party was no longer competitive in the state. It

2492-489: The stock market crash resulted in six Raleigh banks closing. During the difficult 1930s of the Great Depression , government at all levels was integral to creating jobs. The city provided recreational and educational programs, and hired people for public works projects. In 1932, Raleigh Memorial Auditorium was dedicated. The North Carolina Symphony , founded the same year, performed in its new home. From 1934 to 1937,

2581-687: The 10,000-foot (3,000 m) runway, 5L-23R, in 1986. American Airlines opened its north–south hub operation at RDU in the new Terminal C in June 1987, greatly increasing the size of RDU's operations with a new terminal including a new apron and runway. American brought RDU its first international flights to Bermuda , Cancun , Paris and London . In 1996, American Airlines ceased its hub operations at RDU due to Pan Am and Eastern Airlines . Pan Am and Eastern were Miami's main tenants until 1991, when both carriers went bankrupt. Their hubs at MIA were taken over by United Airlines and American Airlines. This created

2670-574: The 34-story RBC Bank Tower , multiple condominium projects and several new restaurants. Additional skyscrapers are in the proposal/planning phase. In 2006, the city's NHL franchise, the Carolina Hurricanes , won the Stanley Cup , North Carolina's first professional sports championship. The NC Courage would go on to win the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) in 2018 and 2019. With the opening of parts of I-540 from 2005 to 2007,

2759-731: The CARS Late Model Stock Tour. The region's growing high-technology community includes such companies as IBM , Lenovo , SAS Institute , Cisco Systems , NetApp , Red Hat , EMC Corporation , and Credit Suisse First Boston . In addition to high-tech, the region is consistently ranked in the top three in the U.S. with concentration in life science companies. Some of these companies include GlaxoSmithKline , Biogen Idec , BASF , Merck & Co. , Novo Nordisk , Novozymes , and Pfizer . Research Triangle Park and North Carolina State University's Centennial Campus in Raleigh support innovation through R&D and technology transfer among

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2848-475: The Henderson micropolitan area comprises Vance County. Some area television stations define the region as Raleigh–Durham–Fayetteville . Fayetteville is more than 50 miles (80 km) from Raleigh, but is part of the Triangle television market . Public secondary education in the Triangle is similar to that of the majority of the state of North Carolina, in which there are county-wide school systems (the exception

2937-828: The I.L. "Buck" Dean Expressway—traverses downtown Durham and extends through Research Triangle Park to I-40. The Durham Freeway is often used as a detour or alternate route for I-40 through southwestern Durham the Chapel Hill area in cases of traffic accident, congestion or road construction delays. The tolled portion of NC 147, called the Triangle Expressway—North Carolina's first modern toll road when it opened to traffic in late 2011—continues past I-40 to Toll NC 540. Both Toll NC 147 and Toll NC 540 are modern facilities which collect tolls using transponders and license plate photo-capture technology. A partnering system of multiple public transportation agencies currently serves

3026-681: The Kerr-Tar Regional Council of Governments. The Triangle region, as defined for statistical purposes as the Raleigh–Durham–Cary CSA , comprises nine counties, although the U.S. Census Bureau divided the region into two metropolitan statistical areas and one micropolitan area in 2003. The Raleigh-Cary metropolitan area comprises Wake, Franklin, and Johnston Counties; the Durham-Chapel Hill metropolitan area comprises Durham, Orange, Chatham, Granville, and Person Counties; and

3115-589: The Raleigh Outer Loop, extends from the US 64–264 Bypass to I-40 just inside Durham County, where it continues across the interstate as a state route (NC 540), prior to its becoming a toll road from the NC 54 interchange to the current terminus at NC Highway 55 near Holly Springs. I-95 serves the extreme eastern edge of the region, crossing north–south through suburban Johnston County. U.S. Routes 1, 15, and 64 primarily serve

3204-757: The Research Triangle Park area. The agency's initial proposal was effectively cancelled in 2006, however, when the agency could not procure adequate federal funding. A committee of local business, transportation and government leaders currently are working with GoTriangle to develop a new transit blueprint for the region, with various modes of rail transit, as well as bus rapid transit , open as options for consideration. ( IATA : RDU , ICAO : KRDU , FAA LID : RDU ) Raleigh–Durham International Airport (RDU) has nonstop passenger service to 68 destinations with over 450 average daily departures, including nonstop international service to Canada, Europe, and Mexico. It

3293-539: The Research Triangle and the Piedmont Triad form part of the Piedmont Crescent , a heavily urbanized region of the state that includes the city of Charlotte . Depending on which definition of the Research Triangle region is used, as few as three or as many as 16 counties are included as part of the region. The three core counties of Wake, Durham, and Orange are the homes of the three research universities for which

3382-737: The Research Triangle region: A number of helipads (i.e. marked landing sites not classified under the FAA LID system) also serve a variety of additional medical facilities (such as UNC Hospitals in Chapel Hill), as well as private, corporate and governmental interests, throughout the region. Amtrak serves the region with the Silver Meteor , Silver Star , Palmetto , Carolinian , and Piedmont routes. Film festivals and events: Notable performing arts and music venues: Theatre and dance events: Music festivals: Movie theatres: The area

3471-516: The Southeast , the 41st-most populous city in the U.S., and the largest city of the Research Triangle metro area. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many oak trees, which line the streets in the heart of the city. The city covers a land area of 148.54 square miles (384.7 km ). The U.S. Census Bureau counted the city's population as 467,665 at the 2020 census . It is one of

3560-580: The Triangle region under the joint GoTriangle branding. Raleigh is served by GoRaleigh (formerly Capital Area Transit) municipal transit system, while Durham has GoDurham (formerly the Durham Area Transit Authority) . Chapel Hill is served by Chapel Hill Transit , and Cary is served by GoCary (formerly C-Tran) public transit systems. However, GoTriangle, formerly called Triangle Transit, works in cooperation with all area transit systems by offering transfers between its own routes and those of

3649-570: The Triangle-based universities listed has won at least two NCAA Basketball national championships. Three historically black colleges , including recent Division I arrival North Carolina Central University and Division II members St. Augustine College and Shaw University also boost the popularity of college sports in the region. Other colleges in the Triangle that field intercollegiate teams include Campbell University , Meredith College , and William Peace University . The Triangle will host

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3738-487: The Union during the American Civil War on May 20, 1861. After the war began, Governor Zebulon Baird Vance ordered the construction of breastworks around the city as protection from Union troops. Near the end of the Civil War, Governor Vance arranged his evacuation to avoid capture as Union General William Sherman's forces approached the city. Before leaving, Vance met with former governors Graham and Swain to draft

3827-676: The United States and home to numerous high tech companies. The nine-county region, officially named the Raleigh–Durham–Cary, NC Combined Statistical Area by the Office of Management and Budget , comprises the Raleigh – Cary , Durham – Chapel Hill , and Henderson , NC Metropolitan Statistical Areas . The 2020 census put the population of the area at 2,106,463, making it the second-largest combined statistical area in North Carolina, behind Charlotte . The Raleigh–Durham television market includes

3916-599: The area is named. As of September 14, 2018, the US Office of Management and Budget (OMB) delineated the Raleigh-Durham-Cary Combined Statistical Area as consisting of two metropolitan and one micropolitan statistical areas. Those three statistical areas in turn are defined as consisting of a total of nine counties. The MSAs and their constituent counties are: Prior to September 2018, the OMB had used

4005-418: The cities of Raleigh and Durham and the town of Chapel Hill , the region is home to three major research universities: North Carolina State University , Duke University , and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill , respectively. The "Triangle" name originated in the 1950s with the creation of Research Triangle Park located between the three anchor cities, which is the largest research park in

4094-422: The city a charter , with a board of seven appointed commissioners and an " Intendant of Police" (which developed as the office of Mayor ) to govern it. After 1803, city commissioners were elected. In 1799, the N.C. Minerva and Raleigh Advertiser was the first newspaper published in Raleigh. John Haywood was the first Intendant of Police. In 1808, Andrew Johnson , the United States' future 17th President,

4183-550: The city of Raleigh, and two in Nash County ) and 154 injuries. The damage path from the storm was measured at 84 mi (135 km) long, and .5 mi (0.8 km) wide at times. The tornado was rated F4 . In 1991, two large skyscrapers in Raleigh were completed, First Union Capitol Center and Two Hannover Square , along with the popular Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek in Southeast Raleigh. In 1996,

4272-455: The city. Over the next thirty years the city, along with the county ( Wake County ), continued investing in the project. This led to the current total of 114 miles of walking or running paths which are on over 3700 acres of preserved land around Wake County, of which Raleigh is the county seat. Subsequently, the focus of the project shifted from building long and individual paths to connecting paths that have already been built. "The emphasis today

4361-644: The concerns with 'The Greenway Master Plan'. The idea started when the Raleigh City Council and The Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission commissioned a document that would be presented to the council. It was called "Raleigh: The Park with a City in It". The study has found that the natural features of Raleigh make it economically sound and financially realistic...to create a network of parks (and) green open space...(that) can enhance Raleigh's already distinctive environment and insure...adequate recreation facilities for

4450-479: The early-to-mid 20th century East Hargett Street was known as Raleigh's "Black Main Street" and hosted numerous Black-owned businesses. The area declined after the city desegregated its establishments. Another of Raleigh's oldest Black neighborhoods, Fourth Ward, was demolished starting in 1971, with about 600 homes and 60 businesses south of downtown gone as a result of urban renewal , and 1,600 people forced to move. It

4539-435: The evening after Graham and Sherman failed to return, leaving behind a letter giving Mayor William H. Harrison the authority to surrender. On the morning of April 13, Mayor Harrison among others went to the southern Wake County area to meet General Hugh Judson Kilpatrick and propose surrender. Kenneth Rayner, a long-time resident of Raleigh, delivered the proposal including a promise of no resistance. Kilpatrick agreed to accept

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4628-486: The fastest-growing cities in the United States. Bath , the oldest town in North Carolina, was the first nominal capital of the colony from 1705 until 1722, when Edenton took over the role. The colony had no permanent institutions of government until the new capital, New Bern , was established in 1743. In December 1770, Joel Lane successfully petitioned the North Carolina General Assembly to create

4717-524: The fastest-growing cities in the United States. It is ranked as a sufficiency-level world city by the Globalization and World Cities Research Network . The city of Raleigh is named after Sir Walter Raleigh , who established the now-lost Roanoke Colony in present-day Dare County . Raleigh is home to North Carolina State University (NC State or NCSU) and is part of the Research Triangle together with Durham (home of Duke University and North Carolina Central University ) and Chapel Hill (home of

4806-492: The federal Civilian Conservation Corps constructed the area now known as William B. Umstead State Park . In 1939, the State General Assembly chartered the Raleigh-Durham Aeronautical Authority to build a larger airport between Raleigh and Durham, with the first flight occurring in 1943. In 1947, Raleigh citizens adopted a council–manager form of government, which is still the city's current form of government. Council members are elected from single-member districts . They hire

4895-413: The federal government constructed the Federal Building in Raleigh, the first federal government project in the Southern U.S. following the Civil War. In 1880, the newspapers News and Observer combined to form The News & Observer . It continues to be Raleigh's primary daily newspaper. The North Carolina College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts, now known as North Carolina State University ,

4984-543: The first Black mayor in a major White-majority city in the South. In 1976, the Raleigh City and Wake County schools merged to become the Wake County Public School System , now the largest school system in the state and 19th largest in the country. During the 1970s and 1980s, the I-440 beltline was constructed, in an attempt to ease traffic congestion and providing access to most major city roads. The first Raleigh Convention Center (replaced in 2008) and Fayetteville Street Mall were both opened in 1977. Fayetteville Street

5073-439: The first railroad in the state. Raleigh celebrated the completion of the new State Capitol and new Raleigh & Gaston Railroad Company in 1840. In 1853, the first State Fair was held near Raleigh. The first institution of higher learning in Raleigh, Peace College , was established in 1857. Raleigh's Historic Oakwood contains many houses from the 19th century that are still in good condition. North Carolina seceded from

5162-417: The future. The following year The Raleigh City Council commissioned a second report. This report would be named 'Capital City Greenway', and the report covered how to manage water from the city's two major creeks Crabtree and Walnut , other flood prevention, wildlife conservation, and the introduction of a trail system. The idea was that green and open space would provide a habitat for animals, and maintain

5251-436: The higher education of Black women, and Leonard Medical Center was the first four-year medical school in the country for African Americans. In 1867, Episcopal clergy founded St. Augustine's College for the education of freedmen . The biracial Reconstruction legislature created new welfare institutions: in 1869, it approved the United States' first school for blind and deaf Black people, to be located in Raleigh. In 1874,

5340-436: The last in 1898. George Henry White sought to promote civil rights for Black citizens and to challenge efforts by White Democrats to reduce Black voting by new discriminatory laws. He and his allies were unsuccessful. Based on a White supremacy campaign that returned Democrats to dominance, in 1900 the state legislature passed a new constitution , with a suffrage amendment that raised barriers to voter registration, resulting in

5429-402: The league by the Ohio Glory , which fared little better at 1–9, ultimately suffering the same fate – along with the other six teams based in North America – when the league took a two-year hiatus, returning as a six-team all-European league in 1995. The Orange County Speedway in Rougemont hosts stock car racing events including the Pro All Stars Series , the CARS Super Late Model Tour and

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5518-583: The midpoint of the eastern United States at RDU and its headquarters to Morrisville, NC. The carrier ultimately could not overcome three weighty challenges: the arrival of Southwest Airlines , the refusal of American Airlines to renew the frequent flyer affiliation it had with Midway (thus dispatching numerous higher fare-paying businesspeople to airlines with better reward destinations), and the significant blow of September 11, 2001. Midway Airlines filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy on August 13, 2001, and ceased operations entirely on October 30, 2003. In February 2000, RDU

5607-450: The municipal elections were altered so that the mayor was to be directly elected, instead of being selected by the city council. Most city council seats were then made responsible to districts, instead of being held at-large. The 1973 elections were the first contests affected by the reforms. City Councilman Clarence Lightner defeated Raleigh Merchants bureau Executive Director G. Wesley Williams to become Raleigh's first Black mayor, and thus

5696-472: The name Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill Combined Statistical Area and it included several additional counties. The Dunn Micropolitan Statistical Area (Harnett County) and Sanford Micropolitan Statistical Area (Lee County) were moved to the Fayetteville-Sanford-Lumberton Combined Statistical Area, while the Oxford Micropolitan Statistical Area (Granville County) was folded into the Durham-Chapel Hill Metropolitan Statistical Area. The Raleigh Metropolitan Statistical Area

5785-512: The opening of the Research Triangle Park in 1959, Raleigh began to experience a population increase, resulting in a total city population of 100,000 by 1960. In 1960, the Census Bureau reported Raleigh's population as 76.4% White and 23.4% Black. Following the passage of the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965 , one of the main achievements of the Civil Rights Movement and the Lyndon B. Johnson presidency, political participation and voting by African Americans in Raleigh increased rapidly. From

5874-426: The operation, but by September 2022, Delta will be serving 21 destinations on aircraft ranging from the CRJ700 to the 767. In addition to RDU, several smaller publicly owned general-aviation airports also operate in the metropolitan region: Several licensed private general-aviation and agricultural airfields are located in the region's suburban areas and nearby rural communities: These licensed heliports serve

5963-461: The other local universities, which increases the opportunities for "bragging" among the schools. The four ACC schools in the state, Duke, North Carolina, North Carolina State, and Wake Forest University (the last of which was originally located in the town of Wake Forest before moving to Winston-Salem in 1956), are referred to as Tobacco Road by sportscasters, particularly in basketball. All four teams consistently produce high-caliber teams . Each of

6052-421: The other systems. Triangle Transit also coordinates an extensive vanpool and rideshare program that serves the region's larger employers and commute destinations. Plans have been made to merge all of the area's municipal systems into GoTriangle, and GoTriangle also has proposed a regional rail system to connect downtown Durham, downtown Cary and downtown Raleigh with multiple suburban stops, as well as stops in

6141-431: The owner of North Carolina FC bought the NWSL franchise rights of the Western New York Flash and relocated the NWSL franchise to the Triangle. The team has achieved broad success in the league, winning 2 NWSL championships and 3 NWSL Shields in the first five years in the Triangle. With limited top-level professional sports option, minor league sports are quite popular in the region. The Durham Bulls in downtown Durham are

6230-478: The primary freeway through Raleigh. The related loop freeways I-440 and I-540 are primarily located in Wake County around Raleigh. I-440 begins at the interchange of US 1 and I-40 southwest of downtown Raleigh and arcs as a multiplex with US 1 northward around downtown with the formal designation as the Cliff Benson/Raleigh Beltline (cosigned with US 1 on three-fourths of its northern route) and ends at its junction with I-40 in southeast Raleigh. I-540, sometimes known as

6319-423: The region as US 15-501 . I-95 passes 30 miles east of Raleigh through Johnston County, with I-87 connecting I-95 at Rocky Mount, NC to Raleigh via the US 64–264 Bypass . The two interstates diverge from one another in Orange County, with I-85 heading northeast through northern Durham County toward Virginia , while I-40 travels southeast through southern Durham, through the center of the region, and serves as

6408-529: The region as limited-access freeways or multilane highways with access roads . US 1 enters the region from the southwest as the Claude E. Pope Memorial Highway and travels through suburban Apex where it merges with US 64 and continues northeast through Cary. The two highways are codesignated for about 2 miles (3.2 km) until US 1 joins I-440 and US 64 with I-40 along the Raleigh–Cary border. Capital Boulevard, which

6497-765: The region include Durham Public Schools (about 33,000 students) and rapidly growing Johnston County Schools (about 31,000 students). With the significant number of universities and colleges in the area and the relative absence of major league professional sports, NCAA sports are very popular, particularly those sports in which the Atlantic Coast Conference participates, most notably basketball. The Duke Blue Devils (representing Duke University in Durham), NC State Wolfpack (representing North Carolina State University in Raleigh), and North Carolina Tar Heels (representing

6586-547: The region's companies and research universities (including Duke University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill). The area fared relatively well during the late-2000s recession , ranked as the strongest region in North Carolina by the Brookings Institution and among the top 40 in the country. The change in unemployment during 2008 to 2009 was 4.6% and home prices was 2%. The Greensboro metropolitan area

6675-429: The surrender and protect Raleigh from destruction. Kilpatrick's cavalry occupied Raleigh and removed the flagpole from the state capitol , replacing it with a United States Flag above the dome. Sherman arrived shortly after and established his headquarters in the governor's mansion . The city was spared significant destruction during the war. As Confederate cavalry retreated west, Union soldiers followed, leading to

6764-501: The terminal. Terminal A became designated as Terminal 1 on October 26, 2008. In 2003, RDU also dedicated a new general aviation terminal. RDU continues to keep pace with its growth by redeveloping Terminal C into a new state-of-the-art terminal, now known as Terminal 2, which opened in October 2008. As of June 2022, the airport will have international flights to Cancun, London, Montreal, Paris, Reykjavik and Toronto. Cancun and London service

6853-524: The war and struggled with the economic hardships in the postwar period, related to the reconstitution of labor markets, over-reliance on agriculture, and the social unrest of the Reconstruction Era . The establishment of the Research Triangle Park (RTP) in 1959 helped create tens of thousands of jobs in the fields of science and technology. By the early 21st century, Raleigh had become one of

6942-867: Was also renamed the Raleigh-Cary Metropolitan Statistical Area. The table below outlines the populations of the constituent counties of the Raleigh–Durham-Cary Combined Statistical Area as of the 2020 Census. The members of the Research Triangle Regional Partnership are: All counties in North Carolina are in one of 16 regional councils which provide programs and services to local governments. The Triangle J Council of Governments includes Chatham, Durham, Johnston, Lee, Moore, Orange, and Wake Counties. The northern Triangle counties of Person, Granville, Franklin, Vance, and Warren are part of

7031-637: Was born at Casso's Inn in Raleigh. The city's first water supply network was completed in 1818, although due to system failures, the project was abandoned. In 1819 Raleigh's first volunteer fire company was founded, followed in 1821 by a full-time fire company. In 1817, the Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina was established and headquartered in Raleigh. In 1831, a fire destroyed the North Carolina State House . Two years later, reconstruction began with quarried gneiss being delivered by

7120-403: Was claimed housing was substandard and the area had a lot of crime. By the early 1970s people in Raleigh were growing increasingly concerned about growth and urban sprawl . Community organizations felt that municipal offices were being too heavily influenced by business interests when the city's population was rapidly growing and various development projects were being proposed. At their behest,

7209-852: Was featured prominently in a number of "Top 10 Lists", including those by Forbes , MSNBC and Money magazine , due to its quality of life and favorable business climate. In 2001, the Raleigh Memorial Auditorium complex was expanded with the addition of the Progress Energy Center for the Performing Arts, Meymandi Concert Hall, Fletcher Opera Theater, Kennedy Theatre, Betty Ray McCain Gallery and Lichtin Plaza. Fayetteville Street reopened to vehicular traffic in 2006. A variety of downtown building projects began around this time including

7298-571: Was formed. The Festival was reorganized as the North Carolina Debutante Ball in 1927. Following immigration by Catholics, on December 12, 1924, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Raleigh was officially established by Pope Pius XI . The Sacred Heart Cathedral became the official seat of the diocese with William Joseph Hafey as its bishop. The city's first airport, Curtiss-Wright Flying Field, opened in 1929. That same year,

7387-402: Was founded as a land-grant college in 1887. The city's Rex Hospital opened in 1889 and included the state's first nursing school. The Baptist Women's College, now known as Meredith College , opened in 1891, and in 1898, The Academy of Music, a private music conservatory, was established. In the late nineteenth century, two Black Congressmen were elected from North Carolina's 2nd district ,

7476-458: Was listed among the second-weakest and the Charlotte area among the middle in the country. The Research Triangle region is served by these hospitals and medical centers: The Triangle proper is served by three major interstate highways : I-40 , I-85 , and I-87 along with their spurs : I-885 , I-440 , and I-540 , and seven U.S. Routes : 1 , 15 , 64 , 70 , 264 , 401 , and 501 . US Highways 15 and 501 are multiplexed through much of

7565-519: Was not until after federal civil rights legislation was passed in the mid-1960s that the majority of Black citizens in North Carolina would again be able to vote, sit on juries and serve in local offices. By that time many African Americans had left the state in the Great Migration to northern industrial cities for more opportunities. No African American was elected to Congress from North Carolina until 1992. In 1912, Bloomsbury Park opened, featuring

7654-442: Was officially established in 1792 as both county seat and state capital. The city was incorporated on December 31, 1792, and a charter granted January 21, 1795. The city was named for Sir Walter Raleigh , sponsor of Roanoke , the "lost colony" on Roanoke Island. No known city or town existed previously on the chosen city site. Raleigh is one of the few cities in the United States that was planned and built specifically to serve as

7743-443: Was ranked as the nation's second fastest-growing major airport in the United States, by Airports Council International, based on 1999 statistics. Passenger growth hit 24% over the previous year, ranking RDU second only to Washington Dulles International Airport . RDU opened Terminal A south concourse for use by Northwest and Continental Airlines in 2001. The addition added 46,000 square feet (4,300 m ) and five aircraft gates to

7832-518: Was the largest city and the capital of North Carolina during the American Revolution . When the British Army laid siege to the city, that site could no longer be used as the capital. From 1789 to 1794, when Raleigh was being built, the state capital was Fayetteville . Raleigh was chosen as the site of the new capital in 1788, as its central location protected it from attacks from the coast. It

7921-658: Was turned into a pedestrian-only street in an effort to help the then-ailing downtown area, but the plan was flawed and business declined for years to come. Fayetteville Street was reopened in 2007 as the main thoroughfare of Raleigh's downtown. During the 1988 Raleigh tornado outbreak of November 28, 1988, the city was affected by the most destructive of the seven tornadoes reported in Northeastern North Carolina and southeastern Virginia between 1:00 am and 5:45 am. The Raleigh tornado produced over $ 77 million in damage, along with four fatalities (two in

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