Gov. Roy Cooper announced Thursday that the North Carolina Railroad Company (NCRR) has been awarded a $105.6 million grant from the US Department of Transportation (DOT) through the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvement Program or CRISI. The funds will be used to enhance North Carolina’s rail infrastructure of the state’s busiest rail corridor, improving both passenger and freight services along the 317-mile Charlotte to Morehead City corridor.

317 mile NCRR corridor. Source: NCRR

The total project funding, including contributions from NCRR, the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT), and Norfolk Southern (NS), which holds the contract for freight services on the rail line, amounts to $170 million. In touting the news, officials say the grant is to yield $214.49 million in benefits for the public, including economic growth, safety enhancements, and environmental improvements.

“This is a historic moment for North Carolina’s rail network,” said NCRR President and CEO Carl Warren. “Improved freight and passenger rail services will accommodate one of the fastest-growing regions in the country and enable a new era of rail capacity in North Carolina. Thanks to the support of Governor Roy Cooper, Senators Thom Tillis and Ted Budd, our bipartisan congressional delegation, and rail partners, we are positioned to modernize our rail system, improving the safe and efficient movement of both passengers and freight. This is a significant win for the entire state.”

The Carolinian and Piedmont Passenger and Freight Improvements Project will involve upgrades at seven locations, including Raleigh, Cary, Morrisville, Hillsborough, Burlington, and Greensboro. The improvements are intended to enable additional passenger trains and significantly reduce delays for both freight and passenger services.

“We often talk about how important partnerships are for all Department of Transportation projects and this is especially true for rail projects that receive the majority of funding through competitive federal grants,” said NC Secretary of Transportation Joey Hopkins. “Having partners like NCRR and Norfolk Southern actively working on improvements that will greatly benefit our current service as well as future routes and projects helps us achieve the vision of a convenient, accessible and reliable passenger rail network in North Carolina and beyond.”

Construction is scheduled to commence in 2025, following the completion of design and environmental permitting phases. The federal funds are being supported by state matches of $34 million from NCDOT. In addition, $17.8 million will be contributed from NCRR and $13 million from Norfolk Southern.

The CRISI Program, administered by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), supports projects aimed at modernizing America’s freight and passenger rail infrastructure.

The NC Railroad Company is wholly owned by the State of North Carolina. Created by charter in 1848, its completion connected the foothills and commercial centers of Charlotte, to the coast, creating the port and town of Morehead City in the process.