By james art A $105.6 million grant from a U.S. Department of Transportation initiative will include a Triad infrastructure upgrade component.
The Carolinas and Piedmont Transit Improvement Project will bring key improvements to seven locations, including Burlington, Cary, Greensboro, Hillsborough, Morrisville and Raleigh.
The governor’s office could not immediately be reached for comment on the details of the Burlington and Greensboro upgrade.
“The announcement represents a major step forward in improving North Carolina’s rail infrastructure, aimed at improving both passenger and freight service on the state’s busiest rail corridor,” the news release said.
“These improvements will enable additional passenger trains and significantly reduce freight and passenger delays.”
The grant was awarded to NC Railroad Co., with funding coming from the Consolidated Railroad Infrastructure and Safety Improvement Program.
The NC Railroad is a 317-mile state rail corridor that stretches from Morehead City to Charlotte. The railroad carries more than 70 Norfolk Southern-operated freight trains daily, along with eight passenger trains.
The $105.6 million investment, combined with required matching contributions from the NC Railroad ($17.8 million), the North Carolina Department of Transportation ($34 million) and Norfolk Southern ($13 million), brings the project’s total funding to 170 million dollars.
It is following the design and environmental permitting phases, with construction slated to begin in 2025.
“Continued investment in passenger and commercial rail is good for our North Carolina communities and economy,” Gov. Roy Cooper said in a statement.
“We are working together to make historic investments moving people and goods faster and safer, and I appreciate the Biden-Harris administration and our federal delegation for their work to secure this monumental investment.”
Carl Warren, president of the NC Railroad, called the infrastructure improvements “an exceptional moment for North Carolina’s rail network.”
“Improved freight and passenger rail service will accommodate one of the nation’s fastest-growing regions and enable a new era of rail capacity in North Carolina.”
The NC Railroad estimates that infrastructure improvements in the state’s passenger rail corridor will allow for increased ridership and new routes.
In the first half of 2024, there were more than 342,000 NC By Train customers, which is 20% more than the same period in 2023. There are currently 10 daily trains between Raleigh and Charlotte.
The latest grant follows the announcement in 2023 of a $1.1 billion grant to support the S-Line, which will include higher-speed rail and a direct route between Raleigh and Richmond, Virginia.
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