New High-Speed Rail Link to Connect North Carolina and Virginia

North Carolina and Virginia are set to receive $58 million from the federal government to aid in the development of a high-speed passenger rail service between their capitals, Raleigh and Richmond.

The Federal Railroad Administration announced the grant—largest among 46 awarded across the nation on Thursday—to initiate engineering work on a rail corridor connecting Raleigh to Petersburg, Virginia. The high-speed rail is expected to extend north to Richmond, according to media reports.

Since 1992, the two states have been planning for this train service between their capitals, with the route established several years ago. The S-line is being acquired by the states from freight railroad CSX Corp.

"This is a project of regional importance, and the collaboration we've witnessed shows that both states recognize this fact," stated U.S. Representative David Price, D-NC, who heads the House appropriations subcommittee for transportation. He added that the investments will help develop a passenger rail corridor linking Washington to Atlanta.

At a news conference in Wake Forest, Price was accompanied by Governor Roy Cooper, Federal Railroad Administration chief Amit Bose, and former New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu, who is overseeing the implementation of the $1 trillion infrastructure package passed by Congress last fall. This bipartisan infrastructure law allocated funds to enhance such railroad grants.

"We aim to create a fast train that operates quicker, safer, and smarter, ensuring passengers get from their locations to their destinations seamlessly," Landrieu remarked on Thursday.

According to Jason Orthner, director of the state Transportation Department Rail Division, plans are in place for passenger trains capable of reaching speeds of 110 mph (approximately 160 kph) to start making stops in Wake Forest as part of the Raleigh-to-Richmond route within the next three to seven years.

Orthner noted that CSX continues to utilize segments of the S-line in North Carolina for freight services and will maintain operations on these tracks moving forward. To prepare for the high-speed trains, North Carolina DOT is working to eliminate railroad crossings in Wake County.