The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has awarded the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) $550 million in federal funding to develop the new S-Line passenger rail route between Raleigh, N.C., and Richmond, Va. The line aims to reduce travel time by up to 90 minutes, increase the number of trips and improve the reliability of travel.

“Living in the number one state that people from other states are moving to, North Carolinians need good transportation options that get them where they need to be when they need to get there,” said North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein. “The S-Line will connect North Carolina residents to more transportation options within the state and beyond so they can get to school, work or anywhere else they need to go. I am grateful to our federal partners and congressional delegation.”

FRA representatives, including Administrator David Fink, joined Gov. Stein and other state and local officials at the Durant Road grade separation project to observe construction progress as crews advance into the final stages of bridge construction on a segment of the future S-Line rail corridor connecting North Carolina and Virginia.  

NCDOT expects bridge completion in November 2026, with final restoration work concluding in July 2028. Once complete, the project will eliminate the existing at-grade crossing, improving safety for motorists, pedestrians, cyclists and train operations while reducing traffic delays. Enhanced roadway connections are also being implemented in an effort to improve mobility and accessibility while supporting future growth.

The Durant Road project is part of the Raleigh to Wake Forest segment of the S-Line Raleigh to Richmond Innovating Rail Program, a high-performance corridor connecting North Carolina and Virginia. Supported by FRA grants awarded from 2020 to 2025, the program aims to deliver faster, more frequent passenger rail service, reduce travel times by more than an hour between North Carolina, Virginia and the Northeast and strengthen connections across the region.  

The S-Line announcement comes after the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) awarded $300 million in funding to fix rail crossings as part of the NCDOT’s Piedmont Corridor Safety Program between Raleigh and Charlotte, N.C.

“From launching the new Acela and Airo trains, to overhauling New York Penn Station, to today’s announcement in Raleigh, the Trump Administration is committed to investing in Amtrak to make passenger rail in America great again,” said USDOT Secretary Sean Duffy.

The federal investments into North Carolina rail include:

• $550 million for the future S-Line to make critical track repairs and upgrades on existing track with plans for additional funds to follow, pending project success.
• $300 million for the existing Piedmont Corridor to close nine at-grade rail crossings, construct five grade separations and improve trespassing prevention infrastructure along the entire corridor.

“This milestone is a testament to the strong partnership between the FRA, Amtrak and NCDOT in advancing the S-Line and the earlier announced Piedmont Line corridors,” Fink said.