30 NC counties are under alert, including Cumberland, Harnett, Moore, Chatham, and Sampson counties.

We’re also timing out the biggest storm risks for your neighborhood hour-by-hour. Plus, how NC State is fighting back against the court's decision to allow independent testing in Poe Hall. Watch WRAL-TV at 5 p.m., and search for these and other stories on WRAL.com.

On WRAL at 5: AI-generated crime. How a first-of-its-kind case is creating changes within state law to stop the abuse

Your guide to best brunch spots in Raleigh. 

Savor the flavor: Raleigh's 20 best brunch spots revealed

Rosewater Kitchen & Bar

As the number of juvenile offenders climbs, the state is looking at alternatives crowded detention centers to make sure young people already convicted of crimes can turn their lives around. 

Education, skills and rehab focus easing burden on NC juvenile justice system

Inside the juvenile justice system

All assets associated with the tag: Triangle Expressway

Triangle Expressway Coverage

A multi-car crash on Monday closed all northbound lanes of U.S. Highway 1 near Apex.



US 1 opens near Apex after crash closes northbound lanes

Crash closes entire direction of US 1 near Apex

The Complete 540 project is moving along but will likely cause some traffic troubles this weekend in Raleigh.



Complete 540 project may impact weekend traffic in Raleigh

Aerial drone footage shows ongoing construction on I-540 in Apex, North Carolina.

The Complete 540 project is moving along but will likely cause some traffic troubles this weekend in Raleigh.

<p>WORKING TO LEARN IF ANYONE WAS HURT OR ARRESTED. &gt;&gt; WORK IS MOVING RIGHT ALONG ON THE 5.40, LOOP AROUND RALEIGH, THE TRIANGLE EXPRESSWAY WILL EXTEND FROM NC. 55 BYPASSED ALL THE WAY TO I-40 AND THIS WEEKEND, THE PROJECT COULD LIKELY CAUSE SOME TRAFFIC TROUBLES FOR YOU. THAT WAS MONICA CASEY JOINS US LIVE FROM HOLLY SPRINGS ROAD WITH A LOOK AT WHAT DRIVERS SHOULD EXPECT OUT OF ALL THIS CASE. A GOOD MORNING, MIKE. &gt;&gt; GOOD MORNING, JEFF. THIS CHANGE IS EXPECTED TO START TOMORROW. SO IF YOU DRIVE IN THIS YEAR, YOU'LL WANT TO LISTEN UP AND C DOT HAS CHANGES COMING TO HOLLY SPRINGS ROAD IN THIS AREA. THE DEPARTMENT PLANS TO REOPEN THE NEW BRIDGE OVER THE EXTENSION OF THE TRIANGLE EXPRESSWAY. CONTRACTORS WILL BE SHIFTING TRAFFIC ON HOLLY SPRINGS ROAD BETWEEN OLD CENTER STREET AND KILDARE FARM ROAD FROM THE TEMPORARY DETOUR ONTO THE NEW BRIDGE CROSSING OVER THAT FUTURE TOLL ROAD. &gt;&gt; THIS TRAFFIC CHANGE ALSO INCLUDES REOPENING THE ACCESS BETWEEN KATHERINE PLACE AND HOLLY SPRINGS ROAD CONSTRUCTION STARTED 4 YEARS AGO ON THE 6 LANE TRIANGLE EXPRESSWAY PHASE 2, WHICH WILL COMPLETE I-540, FROM I-40 AT GARNER TONIGHT. TALE IS SCHEDULED TO START IN 2028. AND C DOT PLANS TO INSTALL MORE SIGNS ADVISING DRIVERS OF THIS NEW SHIFT. THIS REOPENING IS WEATHER</p>

I-540 loop around Raleigh progress: Holly Springs Road bridge opening

The state is getting closer to closing the Interstate 540 loop around Raleigh.

EXPECT TEMPERATURES TO REBOUND INTO THE 80'S. NORTH CAROLINA JUST SIGNED A CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT TO START THAT NEXT PHASE TO COMPLETE. >> THE 5.40, LOOP AROUND RALEIGH, THANKS FOR JOINING US TONIGHT. I'M DAN HAGGERTY AND I'M ASHLEY WROTE THE FIRST PHASE IS 18 MILES FROM APEX TO GARNER. THIS SECOND GOES ANOTHER 10 MILES TO KNIGHTDALE THE MASSIVE ROAD CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS WILL GIVE COMMUNITIES ACROSS SOUTHERN WAKE COUNTY ACCESS TO AN INTERSTATE FOR THE FIRST TIME AND WRAL'S. MATT TALHELM TAKES US ON A TOUR TO SEE THE PROGRESS. >> THIS IS THE EAST EARN AND OF THE FIRST PHASE OF THE COMPLETE 5.40, PROJECT. THIS IS WHERE THE EXPRESSWAY WILL CONNECT TO I-40 70. YOU CAN SEE THIS LARGE CRANE LIFTING ONE OF THE GIRDERS IN PLACE FOR THE BRIDGE THAT WILL CARRY ONE SIDE OF THE EXPRESSWAY HERE OVER THIS INTERCHANGE. THIS IS ALSO WHERE THE SECOND PHASE OF THE PROJECT BEGINS. >> THE PAVEMENT IS GOING DOWN. NOISE WALLS AND BRIDGES ARE GOING UP. CONSTRUCTION IS ROLLING ALONG TO FINISH THIS 18 MILE EXTENSION OF THE TRIANGLE EXPRESSWAY OVERNIGHT. IT'S ALMOST LIKE WHY ARE WE TAKING A LEAP TOWARD GETTING THIS THING DONE IN HIS JOURNEY TO HIS CHIEF DEPUTY ENGINEER FOR THE NC TURNPIKE AUTHORITY HE GUIDED. THAT'S WHEN A DRIVING TOUR THROUGH THE CONSTRUCTION, WHICH WILL CREATE A 6 LANE TOLD ROAD ACROSS SOUTHERN WAKE COUNTY. HE'S STARTING TO LOOK LIKE A ROADWAY. >> YOU SEE GRASS IN THE MEDIAN. YOU SEE PAVEMENT DOWN UCR NOISE WALLS WITH BRICK ON THEM AND YOU CAN YOU CAN ACTUALLY ALMOST DRIVE-IN AND A LOT OF PLACES BETWEEN THE INTERSECTING ROADWAY SAY WE'RE WE'RE CLOSE ENOUGH. WE CAN FEEL IT. AND WE'RE EXCITED. SOME SECTIONS ARE STILL BARE DIRT. OTHERS ARE AS MUCH AS 50% PAID TO LIKE HERE NEAR APEX. ALL OF THE ROADS AND BRIDGES THAT CROSS THE FUTURE EXPRESSWAY ARE OPEN EXCEPT THE NEW DIVERGING DIAMOND ON HOLLY SPRINGS ROAD. WE'VE GOT A LOT OF PAYMENT TO GO DOWN. >> WE REALLY NEED TO GET THAT DOWN BEFORE THE WINTER SETS IN A LARGE CRANE IS LIFTING BEAMS INTO PLACE FOR ONE OF THE 13 BRIDGES THAT WILL MAKE UP A MASSIVE NEW INTERCHANGE AT I-40 70 NEAR GARNER. THIS IS GOING TO HAVE A BENEFICIAL IMPACT. NOT ONLY ON RALEIGH BUT FOR SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES FOR MOTORISTS TRAVELING THROUGH THE STATE. 4 YEARS OF CONSTRUCTION IS NOW COUNTING DOWN TO THE FINAL MONTHS MOVING 18 MILES CLOSER TO COMPLETING 5.40, JUST BEEN NOISY AT TIMES. IT'S BEEN GUSTY AT TIMES. WE'VE SEEN A LOT OF PATIENCE. WE HAVE MET A LOT OF OUR NEIGHBORS AND SO THE FIRST THING WE WANT TO DO IS THING THEM FOR BEING PATIENT. WE'RE ALMOST THERE. >> THE STATE EXPECTS TO OPEN THIS FIRST PHASE TO TRAFFIC LATE SPRING NEXT YEAR. MATT TALHELM, WRAL NEWS, WAKE COUNTY AND WHAT A JOURNEY IT HAS BEEN HERE. CONSTRUCTION ON THAT FINAL PHASE SHOULD START LATE NEXT YEAR. >> THE ENTIRE LOOP IS EXPECTED TO BE DONE BY 2028, THE 2 AND A HALF BILLION DOLLAR PRICE TAG

Final phase to Complete 540 to start as new section opens to traffic

The state is getting closer to closing the Interstate 540 and NC 540 loop around Raleigh.

4 years of construction nearly complete; three-fourths of 540 loop around Raleigh will be done in 2024

A crash closed all northbound lanes of the Triangle Expressway Sunday afternoon near U.S. Highway 64 in Apex.




Crash closes Triangle Expressway near US-64 in Apex

Tolls on N.C. Highway 540, also known as the Triangle Expressway, will go up on Wednesday, officials said.

Get ready to pay a bit more to drive on Triangle Expressway

Triangle Expressway toll road sign

The U.S. Department of Transportation will loan the North Carolina Turnpike Authority up to $501.5 million to help finance construction of the N.C. Highway 540 toll road in southern Wake County, U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao said Wednesday.

Feds loaning NC $500M to speed construction of NC 540 loop

Work that is part of the project to extend Louis Stephens Drive under the Triangle Expressway will require twice daily slow-rolling roadblocks.

Rolling roadblocks start Monday through Dec. 12 on Triangle Expressway

Triangle Expressway

The state Department of Transportation and environmental groups said Thursday that they have settled a lawsuit holding up completion of the N.C. Highway 540 toll road in southern Wake County.

Lawsuit settlement clears way for DOT to finish NC 540 loop

The state Department of Transportation this week awarded the second of three contracts to finish the N.C. Highway 540 toll road in southern Wake County.

Second of three major NC 540 contracts awarded

Crashes involving vehicles going the wrong way on North Carolina highways killed 164 people between 2000 and 2017, according to the state Department of Transportation, where engineers are testing technology that they hope will turn those statistics around.

DOT hopes technology can turn wrong-way drivers around on NC highways

Flashing wrong-way sign on highway

North Carolina's first toll road has been open for six years, but the number of drivers using the Triangle Expressway has recently surged.

NC-540 an option for more Triangle drivers