Greater Raleigh Chamber Blog

International Women’s Day is a time to celebrate the achievements of women around the world and right here in our community. Celebrated every year on March 8, it is a day that recognizes the incredible contributions that women have made to society and highlights the ongoing progress toward gender equality. But the month of March is also Women’s History Month, a time to reflect on the journey of women leaders and the obstacles they have overcome along the way.

​March is our chance to celebrate the trailblazers who have paved the way for future generations of women leaders, and the Raleigh Chamber is proud to present several events to honor, celebrate, and learn from the women in our community. We hope you will join us for our upcoming Coffee with Leaders featuring Angie Thacker of Pinam Construction, the Chamber Professional Women’s Luncheon featuring Sharon Delaney McCloud, and Triangle DEI Alliance’s We Connect event with Shirnetta Harrell of The No Woman, No Girl Initiative.

As we celebrate International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month, we are also reminded of the incredible strides women have made in leadership positions. Embracing your leadership journey as a woman means breaking down barriers and challenging the status quo. It means being a role model for the next generation of women leaders and creating a world where gender is not a barrier to success. It means understanding that success is not just about climbing the corporate ladder but also about positively impacting the world around you.

​At this year’s Women’s Leadership Conference, presented by PNC we will encourage attendees to Embrace Your Leadership Journey with a celebration of women’s growth, leadership, and success.

With an attendance of over 1,000 emerging and established business leaders, this annual conference provides women and their colleagues with the knowledge and skills needed to have a more significant impact and broader influence within their organizations and far beyond into our community. This year’s conference on Tuesday, May 21 at the Raleigh Convention Center will be a chance for professional women to come together, learn from one another, and grow as leaders. 

Happy International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month! We hope you will continue to celebrate and Embrace Your Leadership Journey with us this May. Register today for the Women’s Leadership Conference!

It is time for the city to draft a new Comprehensive Plan, the cornerstone that provides overarching guidance for the city’s growth and future development over a roughly twenty-year period. Our current Plan comes from 2009 and was most recently updated in 2019.  Since the plan was aimed to get us to 2030, the city is beginning work for the next plan to get us to 2050.

Much has happened since the 2009 creation of the document- beyond adding over 75,000 residents in the city’s boundaries alone (not to mention the population explosion in the surrounding municipalities and county), Raleigh created a brand new Strategic Plan, Community Climate Action Plan, Affordable Housing Goals & Consolidated Plan, and business plans for every individual city department. Since 2009, there have been major sea changes in how municipalities view racial equity, environmental sustainability, Affordable Housing, multi-modal transportation, and remote work behaviors changing office and commuting patterns. The city has reached the point of diminishing returns by revising our current plan, so it’s time for a new one. ​

In anticipation of mapping future land use for 20+ years, the city will be undertaking a massive public outreach initiative including focus groups, conferences, and strategic planning meetings to gather input. The Raleigh Chamber will be involved in these discussions and more as we work to make sure the business community is represented in drafts of the Comprehensive Plan. 

After 11 years of delay, the city council is finally moving forward with plans to widen Six Forks Road, albeit a much shorter length than originally planned.  The project will add lanes (for six total) between Rowan Street and Millbrook Road, with new eight-foot multi-use paths installed in a parallel corridor to improve pedestrian and cyclist safety.

Key to the council’s decision was the modified plan coming in under the city’s budget (though it’s worth noting that the original cost for a longer stretch of widening was $37.1 million, compared to the current estimate of $56.1). It’s a good example of what happens when a major project gets delayed for review for too long – costs spiral upward, and overall project scope must be reduced to meet fiscal realities. While consideration and study are important to road projects, speed is equally critical to providing infrastructure improvements to keep the city moving forward.

Also worth noting from the decision was Councilman Jonathan Melton’s comments on his vote in favor: while he personally doesn’t support the road widening, he still voted in favor of the project since previous councils had promised the project to their constituents and because designers had been able to add the multi-modal path to the project. The Chamber applauds Melton’s willingness to support the expansion while also working to add new infrastructure to the corridor to serve a more diverse population. ​

Now that the widening has been approved and the funding allocated, construction will begin in early 2026 and will take two years to complete. 


To learn more about our GA priorities you can visit our webpage.