S-line receives significant $ funding from the federal government
Earlier this week, leadership from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) were in North Carolina to tour the progress of the first part of Raleigh-to-Richmond rail construction in North Raleigh, and to announce the release of significant new funding for the project.
The regional business community has supported NCDOT Rail Division efforts to cost-effectively improve passenger rail to and within the metropolitan Piedmont crescent of North Carolina for more than two decades. Congrats to NCDOT for their ongoing success, and thank you to our colleagues with FRA for their confidence in and support of North Carolina’s efforts. Read more in this week’s blog.
The Stanley Cup can mean momentum for transportation
Canes supporters in Raleigh and our entire region — and indeed fans across North Carolina — are thrilled with the success of the Carolina Hurricanes.
The home of the Hurricanes is Lenovo Center in west Raleigh, and the ongoing improvements to the arena, plus the proposed $1 billion mixed use development around the arena, collectively represent one of the largest economic development projects in the history of the capital city. Last year the NC General Assembly approved $35 million in funding for transportation upgrades to improve mobility, safety, and access to the arena area.
While a Stanley Cup hockey championship doesn’t automatically translate into faster road and transit improvements, my sense is that the Canes’ success does create additional momentum to help see those and other multimodal improvements in that area and environs come to fruition. RTA will continue to push for freeway improvements, the accelerated completion and expansion of the Wake County BRT network and potential extensions, the proposed I-40/RDU Airport exchange station, a future I-40 BRT corridor, and other mobility and access improvements across all modes that will serve the major destinations and travel corridors in our market.
