Cameron Village lobbies for stop on free Raleigh bus line

The R-Line, Raleigh’s free downtown bus service, doesn’t stop in Cameron Village.

But there’s an effort underway to change that.

Pat Boyle, marketing director for Cameron Village, is carrying an armful of petitions to bring the R-Line to the shopping and residential hotspot. The petition is also online.

“We have over 2,100 people who in a short amount of time said, ‘Yes, come on. Bring it over,’” Boyle said.

Cameron Village is a couple of miles from the heart of the city, but it's home to the closest grocery store for those who live downtown.

“Within the last year, over 1,000 apartments have come online,” Boyle said about the residential growth at Cameron Village. Expanding the R-line would be “a way to move people between downtown and Cameron Village without getting in a car.”

David Eatman, transit administrator for the City of Raleigh, said expanding R-Line service is part of a much bigger discussion about the region's transit future. He said, even if the R-Line doesn't serve Cameron Village, another dependable, frequent bus service might help.

“As we get areas that are more dense in population, those are things that we're going have to think about," Eatman said.

Eatman said the city has the petitions and is looking at tweaks to the R-Line service. A decision could come in several months.

“I hope they review it, give it serious consideration and, of course, I hope we get a stop,” Boyle said.

Wake County officials want residents’ input on the region's long-term transit plans. Visit the county’s website to participate.