WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Richard Burr (R-NC) and Representatives David Price (D-NC) and G. K. Butterfield (D-NC) announced that they secured a $47 million Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) Grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to purchase the S-Line rail corridor from Raleigh, North Carolina to Ridgeway, North Carolina to preserve the corridor for future passenger service.
Read more about the grant award HERE.
“Preserving our rail systems is crucial to future tourism and economic growth, and this funding will help ensure the S-Line in Eastern North Carolina is secure for generations to come,” said Senator Tillis. “I am proud to have worked with my colleagues on a bipartisan basis to secure this grant and I will continue to prioritize improving infrastructure across our great state of North Carolina.”
“Today’s awarded grant is a huge win for North Carolina’s rail system,” said Senator Burr. “The S-Line currently serves as the missing link to the Southeast Corridor. This grant will be used to purchase the right of way to not only improve passenger rail access, but expand freight services in the state. I applaud Secretary Chao for recognizing the importance of this project to North Carolina’s economic development.”
“Developing intercity passenger rail service along the 'S-Line' corridor will improve mobility, bolster safety, and reduce highway congestion between Raleigh and Richmond," said Representative David Price. "Today’s $47.5 million federal grant to NCDOT for right-of-way acquisition is a critical step forward in this process, which builds on years of collaboration between transportation officials in North Carolina, Virginia, and the Federal Railroad Administration, as well as our congressional delegation. As Chairman of the House Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Subcommittee, I was pleased to secure dedicated funding in fiscal year 2020 appropriations legislation for projects like this one. I look forward to continuing to work with NCDOT, my colleagues, and other stakeholders to advance this critical project.”
“I am thrilled with today’s $47.5 million grant announcement by the U.S. Department of Transportation for the purchase of the S-Line corridor in North Carolina,” said Congressman Butterfield. “Developing this rail line is a critical step in completing the Raleigh to Richmond portion of the Southeast Corridor. Today’s announcement begins what I hope will be a long line of future announcements on enhanced transportation, employment, and economic development opportunities for North Carolina and, specifically, residents and businesses in Warren and Vance Counties.”
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