Design and Construction Report staff writer
North Carolina has secured $550 million in federal-state funding to advance a passenger rail corridor between Raleigh and Richmond that is expected to cut travel times by more than an hour.
Gov. Josh Stein and Transportation Secretary Daniel Johnson joined Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) Administrator David Fink and other officials in Raleigh to announce the Federal-State Partnership funding for the S-Line Raleigh to Richmond Innovating Rail Program.
The program aims to deliver faster, more frequent passenger rail service connecting North Carolina, Virginia and the Northeast, while improving regional transportation connections and supporting freight operations.
“The S-Line will connect North Carolina residents to more transportation options within the state and beyond so they can get to school, work, or anywhere else they need to go,” Stein said.
FRA officials also visited the Durant Road grade separation project, where construction crews are nearing the final stages of bridge construction on a key section of the future S-Line corridor.
The project is part of the Raleigh-to-Wake Forest segment of the planned rail route. The grade separation will eliminate an existing at-grade crossing, improving safety for motorists, pedestrians, cyclists and train operations while reducing traffic delays.
The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) expects the bridge to be completed in November 2026, with final restoration work scheduled to conclude in July 2028. Roadway connections intended to improve mobility and accessibility as the surrounding area grows are also included in the plan.
The broader S-Line program has received FRA grants awarded between 2020 and 2025. Once developed, the corridor is expected to reduce passenger rail travel times by more than an hour between North Carolina, Virginia and the Northeast while providing more frequent service.
