Annual Wake Transit Work Plan Overview

Wake Transit Plan implementation is led by the Wake County Transit Planning Advisory Committee (TPAC). A core TPAC responsibility is developing the annual Wake Transit Work Plan. The Work Plan is where real money gets assigned to specific transit projects. The funds go from planned to programmed to allocated then obligated through this process. Long-range planning activities, such as the Wake Transit Plan and the Wake Bus Plan, identify projects and estimate budgets. They are primarily used as tools to guide project and funding selection during Work Plan development.

Funds for a project are not guaranteed to be available until they are adopted in a Work Plan or approved through the Work Plan amendment process, and a project agreement must be signed before those funds can be obligated and made available for reimbursement.  

Development of the Work Plan takes about 10 months to complete. Typically the kickoff event is held at the TPAC's August meeting. The draft document goes through months of partner review and two rounds of public engagement before it is considered for adoption by the CAMPO and GoTriangle governing boards in June.

Each annual Work Plan applies to the upcoming fiscal year, July 1-June 30. Service improvements and capital projects are scheduled to receive funding throughout the fiscal year based on operational readiness, procurement timelines, and to support agency coordination.

Major service changes typically occur quarterly (July, October, January, April) where capital projects proceed according to individual project schedules based on design, procurement, and construction timelines.

Once adopted, the Work Plan may be amended. There are three (3) amendment opportunities provided each year in quarters 2, 3, and 4 of the fiscal year. Amendments may be requested for projects included in a previously adopted Work Plan or the current Work Plan. 

Budget Overview

The budget for each Work Plan is monitored by Tax District staff and is built into the Work Plan development discussions.

Historically, the budget has been relatively conservative to ensure that we do not overpromise, which may require project cuts later, and a conservative budget also provides flexibility to respond to amendment requests for new projects or more money when needed. 

The overall Wake Transit budget is established through financial collection from multiple funding sources. The estimates included in the 10-year Wake Transit Plan and subsequent Bus Plan represent best guess at the time the document was adopted. The Work Plan looks at circumstances right now and ensures we know what we have to spend in the next year. 

Within the pages of the Work Plan, the overall budget is divided into two categories. Here is a list with subcategory examples. 

Operating Budget

Bus Service & Operations

Planning & Administration

   Transit Plan Administration

Financial Oversight

   Tax District Administration

Capital Budget

Bus Stops & Transit Centers

Regional Rail Investments

Vehicle Acquisition

Bus Rapid Transit

Capital Planning

Community Funding Area Program Coordination

The Community Funding Area (CFA) Program receives it's set aside of funds from the overall annual budget. This program provides financial support for transit projects requested by Wake County communities outside of Raleigh and Cary. The 2035 Wake Transit Plan tripled the annual CFA allocation from $2 million to $6 million per year. CFA Program funding for projects is done through a parallel but separate process to the Work Plan. CAMPO staff lead both processes, which helps to ensure effective coordination amongst staff as well as with the partners. The CFA Program projects selected for funding are included in the final adopted Work Plan.