A new study evaluates tolls as part of the Capital Boulevard Improvement Project between Interstate 540 in north Raleigh and the Franklin County line, near Wake Forest.
A spokesperson from the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO) told WRAL News the organization requested the study from the North Carolina Turnpike Authority.
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The results released Wednesday evaluate several toll options for improvements to a portion of Capital Boulevard/U.S. Highway 1 and beginning upgrades in 2027. The construction would take about six years.
A CAMPO spokesperson said the change would ultimately ease traffic congestion by removing stoplights and creating highway interchanges. The organization will ask for public input for 30 days before making a decision in May.
A project page on the State Department of Transportation website states between 32,000 and 65,000 vehicles travel the stretch of Capital Boulevard each day, and traffic is anticipated to increase to 44,000 to 75,000 vehicles each day by 2040.
"Travel times are highly variable, making it difficult for drivers to plan trips. A trip at evening peak hour, for example, can take up to four times longer than trips at non-peak times," the NCDOT writes.