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Raleigh station opens next month; adjoining mixed-use project scaled back

WUNC | By Bradley George
Published July 16, 2025 at 1:32 PM EDT
A Go Triangle bus parks at the new Raleigh Union Bus Station Facility (aka “RUS Bus”) on Hargett Street in downtown Raleigh, NC.
Matt Ramey
/
For WUNC
A Go Triangle bus parks at the new Raleigh Union Bus Station Facility (aka “RUS Bus”) on Hargett Street in downtown Raleigh, NC.

A new, regional bus station will open in Downtown Raleigh next week. But the adjoining mixed-use development by Hoffman & Associates has scaled back its affordable housing component.

RUS BUS (pronounced "russ bus") will serve GoTriangle commuter routes to Durham, Chapel Hill, and Research Triangle Park. It's located next to Raleigh Union Station, which means bus riders will have an easy connection to Amtrak train services. GoRaleigh city buses will continue to use the bus depot at Moore Square.

GoTriangle will hold a ribbon cutting and celebration for the new terminal on Friday, July 25. Passenger service will begin Sunday, Aug. 3. The transit agency hosted journalists and influencers for a preview on Wednesday morning.

The new Raleigh Union Bus Station Facility (aka “RUS Bus”) on Hargett Street in downtown Raleigh, NC.
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The new Raleigh Union Bus Station Facility (aka “RUS Bus”) on Hargett Street in downtown Raleigh, NC.
Matt Ramey / For WUNC
A Go Triangle bus parks at the new Raleigh Union Bus Station Facility (aka “RUS Bus”) on Hargett Street in downtown Raleigh, NC.
2 of 8  — WUNC GO TRIANGLE BUS STATION_12.jpg
A Go Triangle bus parks at the new Raleigh Union Bus Station Facility (aka “RUS Bus”) on Hargett Street in downtown Raleigh, NC.
Matt Ramey / For WUNC
The new Raleigh Union Bus Station Facility (aka “RUS Bus”) has 6 gates in downtown Raleigh, NC.
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The new Raleigh Union Bus Station Facility (aka “RUS Bus”) has 6 gates in downtown Raleigh, NC.
Matt Ramey / For WUNC
Go Triangle President and CEO Dr. Brian Smith poses for a portrait at the new Raleigh Union Bus Station Facility (aka “RUS Bus”) on Hargett Street in downtown Raleigh, NC.
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Go Triangle President and CEO Dr. Brian Smith poses for a portrait at the new Raleigh Union Bus Station Facility (aka “RUS Bus”) on Hargett Street in downtown Raleigh, NC.
Matt Ramey / For WUNC
From right: Go Triangle Chief Communications Officer Eric Curry, Go Triangle President and CEO Brian Smith, Go Triangle Senior Engineer Willy Ried, and Go Triangle Director of Facilities Gary Tober hold a press conference to display the new Raleigh Union Bus Station Facility — aka “RUS Bus” — on Hargett Street in downtown Raleigh, N.C.
5 of 8  — WUNC GO TRIANGLE BUS STATION_16.jpg
From right: Go Triangle Chief Communications Officer Eric Curry, Go Triangle President and CEO Brian Smith, Go Triangle Senior Engineer Willy Ried, and Go Triangle Director of Facilities Gary Tober hold a press conference to display the new Raleigh Union Bus Station Facility — aka “RUS Bus” — on Hargett Street in downtown Raleigh, N.C.
Matt Ramey / For WUNC
The Go Triangle Information desk at the new Raleigh Union Bus Station Facility (aka “RUS Bus”) on Hargett Street in downtown Raleigh, NC.
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The Go Triangle Information desk at the new Raleigh Union Bus Station Facility (aka “RUS Bus”) on Hargett Street in downtown Raleigh, NC.
Matt Ramey / For WUNC
Signage tells passengers how to get to Union Station Plaza at the new Raleigh Union Bus Station Facility (aka “RUS Bus”) on Hargett Street in downtown Raleigh, NC.
7 of 8  — WUNC GO TRIANGLE BUS STATION_7.jpg
Signage tells passengers how to get to Union Station Plaza at the new Raleigh Union Bus Station Facility (aka “RUS Bus”) on Hargett Street in downtown Raleigh, NC.
Matt Ramey / For WUNC
Branding wraps around construction at the new Raleigh Union Bus Station Facility (aka “RUS Bus”) on Hargett Street in downtown Raleigh, NC.
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Branding wraps around construction at the new Raleigh Union Bus Station Facility (aka “RUS Bus”) on Hargett Street in downtown Raleigh, NC.
Matt Ramey / For WUNC

"This is really a strategic location and a strategic project, so we're really excited to be opening up this project on time and on budget," said GoTriangle CEO Brain Smith.

Smith started the job last month, after 16 years at Hampton Roads Transit in Virginia. He replaced Charles Lattuca, who resigned as CEO last year after plans for a regional light rail system fell apart.

The new station features off-street bays for six buses, restrooms, and a waiting area. GoTriangle and the city of Raleigh won a $20 million federal grant for the project in 2018.

"As customers visit this location, they're going to find a new state-of-the-art facility that they can connect to the destinations they need to get to. Our buses will be able to operate more efficiently and safely from this location," Smith said. The station can expand to include future bus rapid transit or regional rail services.

Smith also noted that RUS BUS is designed to be a catalyst for private development in Raleigh's Warehouse District.

"As we look to the future, this particular facility has been very thoughtfully designed and constructed so that we can accommodate future growth in terms of residential and retail and jobs and so forth," he said.

Raleigh-based Hoffman & Associates is planning to build a high-rise next to the station that will include apartments, shops, and restaurants. The project was originally supposed to be two buildings, one of which would include apartments at rent below market rates. However, Indy Week reported that Hoffman & Associates had trouble securing funding for the affordable housing component, so it scaled back the development to a single building. The company asked for permission from the Raleigh City Council to scrap the affordable units and instead make a $1.5 million contribution to the city's affordable housing fund. The council approved the change in a 6-2 vote earlier this month.
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Bradley George
Bradley George is WUNC's AM reporter. A North Carolina native, his public radio career has taken him to Atlanta, Birmingham, Nashville and most recently WUSF in Tampa. While there, he reported on the COVID-19 pandemic and was part of the station's Murrow award winning coverage of the 2020 election. Along the way, he has reported for NPR, Marketplace, The Takeaway, and the BBC World Service. Bradley is a graduate of Guilford College, where he majored in Theatre and German.
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