The Triangle (North Carolina)
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The Research Triangle, commonly referred to as "The Triangle", is a metropolitan region in the Piedmont of North Carolina in the United States, anchored by the cities of Raleigh, Durham, and the town of Chapel Hill. Another popular term for this area is Raleigh-Durham, which is derived from Raleigh-Durham International Airport, which takes its name from the area's two largest cities. The major research universities of North Carolina State University, Duke University, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill are located in this region respectively. The "Triangle" name was cemented in the public consciousness in the 1950s with the creation of Research Triangle Park, home to numerous high-tech companies and enterprises. Although the name is commonly used to refer to the cities, "The Triangle" originally referred to the universities, whose research facilities and the educated workforce they provide are the major attraction for businesses located in the Park. The Triangle's population is the most educated in the United States, with the highest number of Ph.D.s per capita.[1] The region is not be confused with "The Triad", which is the region directly west of the Triangle. Most of the Triangle is represented by, and closely associated with, the second and fourth congressional districts.
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[edit] Counties
Total land area: 4,548 square miles
2004 Metro Population: 1,467,434 (Source: US Bureau of the Census Released April 2005)
[edit] Cities
The Triangle region, as defined for statistical purposes as the Raleigh-Durham-Cary-Dunn CSA is generally considered to comprise 7 counties, although the U.S. Census Bureau divided the region into 2 metropolitan statistical areas and 1 micropolitan area in 2003. Some local television networks define the region as Raleigh-Durham-Fayetteville, including Fayetteville, North Carolina, which is nearly 50 miles from Raleigh's city limits.
[edit] Primary cities
- Raleigh
- Durham
- Cary
- Chapel Hill (not considered a primary city for metropolitan statistical purposes anymore, but is 1 of the 3 cities of the Triangle)
[edit] Suburbs with more than 10,000 inhabitants
[edit] Suburbs with fewer than 10,000 inhabitants
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[edit] Education
The secondary education setup in the Triangle is similar to that of the majority of the state of North Carolina, in which there are countywide school systems (the exception is Chapel Hill-Carrboro Schools alongside Orange County Schools). The largest in the region is the Wake County Public School System, which includes the cities of Raleigh and Cary. The other larger systems in the region rank as such: Durham County, Orange County, and rapidly growing Johnston County.
[edit] Institutes of higher education
- North Carolina State University
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- North Carolina Central University
- Duke University
- Meredith College
- Peace College
- Shaw University
- St. Augustine's College
- Wake Technical Community College
- Durham Technical Community College
- Piedmont Community College
- Vance-Granville Community College
[edit] Commerce
Anchored by leading technology firms, government and world-class universities and medical centers, the area's economy has performed exceptionally well. Significant increases in employment, earnings, personal income and retail sales are projected over the next 15 years.
The region's growing, vibrant high-technology community includes such companies as IBM, SAS Institute, Cisco Systems, Nortel Networks, Network Appliance (NetApp) and Credit Suisse First Boston. In addition to high-tech, the region is consistently ranked in the top 3 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 Wyeth. The Research Triangle Park and North Carolina State University's Centennial Campus support innovation through R&D and technology transfer among the region's companies and research universities (including Duke University and The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill).
[edit] Area major employers
- BASF
- Bayer
- Cisco Systems
- Duke University
- DuPont
- Environmental Protection Agency
- General Electric
- GlaxoSmithKline
- IBM
- Lenovo
- Nortel Networks
- North Carolina State Government (including the University of North Carolina system)
- Red Hat
- Research Triangle Institute
- SAS Institute
- Sony Ericsson
- Syngenta
- United States Forest Service
- Verizon
- Progress Energy
[edit] Area hospitals and medical centers
- Dorothea Dix Hospital
- Duke University Medical Center
- Duke's Children's Medical Center
- Durham Regional Hospital
- Raleigh Community Hospital now Duke Health Raleigh Hospital
- Rex Hospital
- University of North Carolina Hospital
- Wake Medical Center
- Western Wake Medical Center
[edit] Transportation
The Triangle is served by three major interstate highways: I-85, I-40 and I-95, their spurs: I-440 and I-540, and six secondary highways: U.S. Route 1, US 15, US 64, US 70, U.S. Route 401, and U.S. Route 501 (US 15/501).
Two of the three interstates diverge from one another in Orange County with I-85 heading northeastward straight through Durham towards Virginia, while I-40 goes southeastward straight through the heart of the region and serving as the main freeway through Raleigh. The spurs of I-440 and I-540, however 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 its way around downtown with the formal designation as the Cliff Benson/Raleigh Beltline (co-signed with US 1 on three-fourths of its route) and ends at its junction with I-40 in southeast Raleigh. I-540 only has a quarter of its route open, but has already become known as the Outer Loop. It does currently serve as a northern arc for those who live in North Raleigh. I-95 serves the eastern edge of the region, crossing south-to-north through Johnston County.
The US highways of 1, 15, and 64 spend a vast amount of their journeys through the region as limited-access freeways or as large highways with access roads. US 1 comes into the region from the southwest as Claude E. Pope Memorial Highway and then into Apex where it merges with US 64 and continues northeast towards Raleigh. The co-designation of the two highways lasts for a little more than 2 miles where US 1 joins I-440 and US 64 with I-40. Capital Boulevard, which is US 1 for half of its route and US 401 the other, is the other major thoroughfare through Raleigh.
There are currently multiple public transportation systems in the Triangle. Raleigh is served by the Capital Area Transit (CAT) municipal transit system, while Durham has the Durham Area Transit Authority (DATA) system. Chapel Hill is served by Chapel Hill Transit, and Cary is also served by its own public transit systems. However, the Triangle Transit Authority (TTA) works in cooperation with all area transit systems by offering transfers between its own routes and those of the other systems. There are plans on board to merge all of the area's individual systems into the TTA. TTA also has begun construction of a regional rail system to begin operation in 2009 with 12 stops. This regional rail system will run as a line between downtown Durham and downtown Raleigh with multiple stops in the RTP area.
[edit] Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU)
The General Assembly of North Carolina charters the Raleigh-Durham Aeronautical Authority in 1939, which would be changed in 1945 to the Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority. The first new terminal opened in 1955. Terminal A opened in 1981. American Airlines began service to RDU in 1985.
RDU opened the 10,000 foot 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. 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 a difficulty in North Carolina competing with USAirway's hub in Charlotte and Delta's hub in Atlanta for passengers traveling between smaller cities in the North and South.
RDU's first international carrier, Air Canada, introduced service to Toronto in 1996.
Canadian Regional began service to Toronto in 1997.
The nation's largest low-fare carrier, Southwest Airlines, started service at RDU in 1999.
In February 2000, RDU is 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, putting RDU second only to Washington Dulles International Airport.
In 2001 RDU opened Terminal A south concourse for use by Northwest and Continental Airlines. The addition adds 46,000 square feet and 5 aircraft gates to the terminal.
America West began service at RDU with flights to Phoenix and Las Vegas in 2002. America West merged with US Airways in 2005.
In 2003, RDU also dedicated the new general aviation (GA) terminal.
RDU is keeping pace with these changes by redeveloping Terminal C into a new state-of the-art terminal.
Once home to an American Airlines East Coast hub and once headquarters to Midway Airlines.
[edit] Airport-Rail Link Study
The Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority worked with the Triangle Transit Authority to complete a joint study. The study explored how the airport would connect to the regional rail system planned by the TTA.
Based on the study results, the Airport Authority and the TTA committed to providing access to the airport for rail passengers and will provide a bus shuttle until demand necessitates a direct rail link. When the rail opens in 2008, passengers will be able to catch a TTA shuttle at the rail system’s station located in Research Triangle Park.
Once the rail system is launched, the Airport Authority, along with the TTA, will monitor its usage and incorporate the possibility of a direct rail link to the airport in all future planning.
[edit] Shopping
- Crabtree Valley Mall
- Northgate Mall
- The Streets at SouthPoint
- South Hills Mall
- Triangle Towne Center
- North Hills
- Cameron Village
- A Southern Season - the nation's largest gourmet retailer - Chapel Hill
[edit] Entertainment
Film Events
- Flicker Film Festival - Carrboro
- Full Frame Documentary Film Festival - Durham
- Hi Mom Film Festival - Durham
- Nevermore Film Fest - Durham
- North Carolina Gay & Lesbian Film Festival - Durham
Music Venues
- Alltel Pavilion at Walnut Creek - Raleigh
- Koka Booth Amphitheatre at Regency Park - Cary
Theatre and Dance Events
- American Dance Festival - Durham
[edit] Map of the Triangle
[edit] Rankings
- 1 High Tech Region (Raleigh-Durham) -- "Daring To Compete: A Region-to-Region Reality Check," Silicon Valley Leadership Group, September 16, 2005
- Top 10 Utility Company (Duke Power) - Site Selection, September 2005
- 12 Top Real Estate Market (Raleigh-Durham) -- Expansion Management, August 2005
- 10 Top Venture Capital State (North Carolina) -- Moran Stahl & Boyer LLC, Site Selection, July 2005
- 2 of the Top Business Opportunity Metros (Durham MSA, Raleigh-Cary MSA) -- 2005 Mayor's Challenge "Top Business Opportunity Metros", Expansion Management, July 11, 2005
- 1 City (Greater Raleigh-Durham) for Biotechnology -- "The Greater Philadelphia Life Sciences Cluster", Milken Institute, June 2005
- 2 City (Greater Raleigh-Durham) for Life Sciences Human Capital -- "The Greater Philadelphia Life Sciences Cluster", Milken Institute, June 2005
- 4 City (Greater Raleigh-Durham) for Life Sciences Workforce -- "The Greater Philadelphia Life Sciences Cluster", Milken Institute, June 2005
- 17 Best Running City in America (Raleigh) -- Runner's World, MSN, June, 2005
- 5 U.S. Life Sciences Clusters (Greater Raleigh-Durham) -- Milken Institute, June 2005
- 1 South's State of the Year (North Carolina) -- Southern Business & Development, June 20, 2005
- One of Top 10 University Markets that Has Its Act Together (Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill) -- Southern Business & Development, Summer 2005
- 2 Best Place (Raleigh-Durham) for Business & Careers -- Forbes, May 5, 2005
- 5 Best Knowledge Worker Metro (Raleigh-Cary MSA) -- "Knowledge Worker Quotient", Expansion Management, May 2005
- 8 Most Unwired City (Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill) -- Intel's 3rd Annual "Most Unwired Cities" survey, May 2005
- 9 Top State (North Carolina) in Nanotechnology -- Small Times, March 2005
- 9 Top Business State (North Carolina) -- 2004 Governor's Cup, Site Selection, March 2005
- Top Small Business Towns in the U.S. (Henderson, # 23; Sanford, # 36; Southern Pines, # 49; Dunn, # 82) -- Site Selection, March 2005
- 8 Hottest Labor Market (Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill) -- American City Business Journal, TBJ, March 11, 2005
- 1 Best Place to Work (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, RTP), # 4 (NIEHS) and # 1 Academic Institution (UNC-Chapel Hill) for Postdocs -- "Best Places to Work for Postdocs: 2005", The Scientist, February 14, 2005
- 4 Top Pro-Business State (North Carolina) -- "Pollina Corporate Top 10 Pro-Business States for 2005: Keeping Jobs in America", Pollina Corporate Real Estate, Inc., 2005
- 4 Best State (North Carolina) in Health Care and Availability -- "Health Care Cost Quotient", Expansion Management, February, 2005
- 34 Top Metro (Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill) for Job Growth & High Tech Output -- Outlook, February, 2005
- 10 State (North Carolina) for Call Centers (# 10 for Startups) -- BizMiner, Business Xpansion Journal, Nov/Dec 2004
- 7 State (North Carolina) for Health Establishments -- BizMiner, Business Xpansion Journal, Nov/Dec 2004
- 17 America's Hottest Cities (Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill) -- Expansion Management, November 2004
- 5 Best U.S. Location (North Carolina) for Biotechnology -- Business Facilities, November 2004
- 5 Best Business Climate (North Carolina) -- Site Selection, November 2004
- 1 of America's Most Entrepreneurial Campuses (UNC-Chapel Hill) -- Forbes, October 22, 2004
- 3 Best Places to Live in America -- Forbes, 2003 [1]
