North Carolina S-Line Rail Project Moves Forward With $550 Million in Federal Funding: Raleigh-to-Richmond Corridor Designed for 110 MPH
Raleigh, Wake County, North Carolina — A $550 million grant from the Federal Railroad Administration is moving the S-Line rail project forward: the passenger rail corridor linking Raleigh, North Carolina, with Richmond, Virginia, runs about 162 miles, is designed for speeds of up to 110 mph, and is expected to cut travel time between the two cities by up to about 90 minutes once complete.
The North Carolina Department of Transportation says the project will restore and improve the historic rail corridor, adding new track and upgrading existing infrastructure while accommodating freight operations and traffic safety, in coordination with partners including the Virginia Passenger Rail Authority. Raleigh Union Station will gain a second platform, and several at-grade crossings along the line will be replaced with bridges.
Construction is focused first on the Raleigh-to-Wake Forest segment: the at-grade crossing at Durant Road in Raleigh is being converted into a road bridge over the tracks, with the main structure expected to be completed in November 2026 and remaining restoration work continuing through July 2028. A separate $22.7 million bridge project at New Hope Church Road began in February 2026. A $1.09 billion federal grant approved in 2023 also funds this segment. Governor Josh Stein mentioned the funding at the state transportation summit on October 27, saying it would strengthen North Carolina's links with the Northeast.
NCDOT has not announced a final completion date or total cost for the full corridor; the first phase remains the Raleigh-to-Wake Forest segment.
(Source: North Carolina Department of Transportation)
Source: North Carolina Department of Transportation
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：罗利联合车站。NCDOTcommunications 供图，CC BY 2.0，经 Wikimedia Commons。 / Photo: Raleigh Union Station. By NCDOTcommunications, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
