Research Triangle Park

Research Triangle Park North Carolina was created from southeast Durham, NC pinelands in 1959 and is now one of the largest research parks in the world. RTP is a private, non-profit entity, owned and operated by Research Triangle Foundation in a Durham County "special research and production district" and home to more than 140 companies employing 39,000.

The name "Research Triangle"came from the park's proximity and affiliation with Duke University here in Durham, the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill and NC State University in Raleigh. The universities form the three points in the triangle. Although regular guided tours are not featured, some individual facilities offer guided tours.

At A Glance:

Directions:

• I-85 North (arriving from Atlanta, Charlotte, Greensboro, etc.):
  • Take Exit #172 (Durham Freeway/Hwy 147 South/Downtown)
  • Follow Durham Frwy for approximately 10 miles to 1st RTP exit
• I-85 South (arriving from NY, DC, VA, etc.):
  • Take exit #177-A (Durham Downtown)
  • At end of exit ramp follow signs for Hwy 15-501 Business South (Mangum St)
  • Follow for approximately 2 miles, turn left onto Morehead Ave
  • Continue through 1st traffic light, keep left onto Hwy 147 South (Durham Frwy)
  • Follow Durham Frwy for approximately 3 miles to 1st RTP exit
• I-40 East (arriving from Asheville, Winston-Salem, Greensboro, etc):
  • I-40 East and I-85 North merge in Greensboro, NC.
  • When highways divide near Hillsborough, NC, take I-85 North.
  • Follow directions for I-85 North as listed above.
• I-40 West (arriving from Wilmington, Fayetteville, Raleigh, etc.):
  • Traveling west on I-40, Durham's Research Triangle Park begins officially at exit #280, Davis Dr., and continues for several exits along I-40 as well as along the Durham Fwy., Hwy. 147 North.

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