A groundbreaking ceremony has launched construction for the S-Line Project, part of the Raleigh to Richmond Innovating Rail Program which will create a faster passenger rail route between the two cities.
In December, the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) was awarded up to $1.1 billion for Phases IA and II of construction, under the Federal Railroad Administration’s FY22-23 Federal-State Partnership (National) Grant program.
This multi-phase project will build a new passenger rail route between Raleigh, NC, and Richmond, VA, along the CSX “S-Line,” part of the federally designated Southeast Corridor. This route will connect North Carolina with Virginia, Washington, D.C., and the Northeast Corridor.
A grant from the FRA will cover final engineering design, right-of-way acquisition, and construction costs for the S-Line section from Raleigh to Wake Forest. NCDOT and Amtrak will provide a 20% non-federal match. The funds will be used for new and upgraded tracks and the replacement of 11 at-grade crossings with highway/rail overpasses.
The S-Line Raleigh to Richmond, or R2R, project involves the development, implementation, and operation of passenger rail service on the Southeast Corridor.
This rail service will provide future high-performance passenger rail services connecting communities from Raleigh to Richmond, Va. Since its formation, the Federal Railroad Administration has recognized the importance of high-performance rail in the U.S. In 1992, the Southeast Corridor were the first routes connecting Charlotte, Raleigh, Richmond and Washington, D.C.
The project is being completed in partnership between the N.C. Department of Transportation and the Virginia Rail Passenger Authority.
The existing freight rail line to support passenger rail service while maintaining current freight rail operations. Construction in Wake County will also include highway and rail bridges. The total cost of the S-Line project, conducted in partnership with NCDOT and the Virginia Passenger Rail Authority, is $1.4 billion. In 2020, the commonwealth of Virginia purchased 75 miles of S-Line right-of-way between Petersburg, VA, and Ridgeway, NC.