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Raleigh, Wake County

Raleigh: Officials announce $550 million Thursday for S-Line rail

Governor Josh Stein and NCDOT joined the Federal Railroad Administration on Oct. 15 at the Durant Road grade separation. The money is Federal-State Partnership funding for the Raleigh-to-Richmond S-Line program.

ConfirmedThe main facts are confirmed by official or first-hand sources.

By Triangle Local Newsroom · Published

Downtown Raleigh buildings under a blue sky

File photo: James Willamor (CC BY-SA 3.0), via Wikimedia Commons.

What we know

Confirmed

  • On Thursday, Oct. 15, 2026, Governor Josh Stein and N.C. Transportation Secretary Daniel Johnson joined the Federal Railroad Administration in Raleigh to announce $550 million in Federal-State Partnership funding for the S-Line Raleigh to Richmond Innovating Rail Program.Confirmed by Office of the Governor press release, Oct. 15, 2026
  • The announcement was made at the Durant Road grade separation project. FRA representatives, including Administrator David Fink, joined Stein and other officials there.Confirmed by Office of the Governor press release, Oct. 15, 2026
  • The governor's office said the program will reduce Raleigh-to-Richmond travel times by more than an hour.Confirmed by Office of the Governor press release, Oct. 15, 2026
  • NCDOT expects the Durant Road bridge to be complete in November 2026, with final restoration work concluding in July 2028. Once complete, the project will eliminate the existing at-grade crossing.Confirmed by Office of the Governor press release, Oct. 15, 2026
  • The Durant Road project is part of the Raleigh to Wake Forest segment of the S-Line Raleigh to Richmond program.Confirmed by Office of the Governor press release, Oct. 15, 2026
  • NCDOT's S-Line project page describes the Raleigh to Wake Forest work as the first 18-mile phase of a larger Raleigh-to-Richmond project. In 2023, NCDOT was awarded a $1.09 billion Federal-State Partnership grant for final design, right-of-way acquisition and construction of that 18-mile section. In 2024, construction contracts were issued for grade separations at Durant Road and New Hope Church Road in Raleigh.Confirmed by NCDOT S-Line Raleigh to Richmond project page
  • NCDOT's project page says the S-Line Raleigh to Richmond project is designed to support trains running up to 110 mph between Raleigh and Petersburg, Va., compared with current passenger speeds of 60 to 79 mph.Confirmed by NCDOT S-Line Raleigh to Richmond project page
  • Governor Stein said the S-Line will connect North Carolina residents to more transportation options inside the state and beyond. Secretary Johnson called the project a step forward for rail connections across North Carolina and the Southeast, and said it will also support freight operations and improve safety.Confirmed by Office of the Governor press release, Oct. 15, 2026

Still unknown

  • How Thursday's $550 million relates to the $1.09 billion Federal-State Partnership award NCDOT lists for 2023. Neither official page spells out whether the new figure is added to that award, part of it, or a separate grant
  • A full list of what the $550 million will pay for, beyond advancing the S-Line Raleigh to Richmond program

What happened

State and federal officials announced $550 million on Thursday, Oct. 15, for the S-Line rail program between Raleigh and Richmond.

Governor Josh Stein and N.C. Transportation Secretary Daniel Johnson joined the Federal Railroad Administration at the Durant Road grade separation in Raleigh. The governor's office said the money is Federal-State Partnership funding to advance the S-Line Raleigh to Richmond Innovating Rail Program.

FRA Administrator David Fink was among the federal officials at the site.

What Thursday's announcement said

The program will cut Raleigh-to-Richmond travel times by more than an hour, according to the governor's office.

NCDOT expects the Durant Road bridge to be finished in November 2026. Final restoration work is expected to run through July 2028. When that work is done, the existing at-grade crossing is supposed to go away, which would separate cars, bikes and pedestrians from the trains.

The Durant Road project is part of the Raleigh to Wake Forest segment of the larger S-Line program.

Stein said North Carolina needs transportation options that get people where they need to go, and that the S-Line will connect residents to more choices inside the state and beyond. Johnson said the project is a step forward for rail connections across North Carolina and the Southeast, and that it will also support freight operations and improve safety.

What NCDOT's project page already listed

NCDOT's S-Line page describes the Raleigh to Wake Forest work as the first 18-mile phase of the Raleigh-to-Richmond project. It says NCDOT received a $1.09 billion Federal-State Partnership grant in 2023 for final design, right-of-way and construction on that segment, and that 2024 construction contracts covered grade separations at Durant Road and New Hope Church Road in Raleigh.

The page also says the corridor is designed for trains running up to 110 mph between Raleigh and Petersburg, Va. Current passenger speeds are listed as 60 to 79 mph.

Neither official page says how Thursday's $550 million fits with that 2023 award. This story keeps the two figures separate.

Why it matters

Durant Road is in north Raleigh, on the first S-Line segment between Raleigh and Wake Forest. The Thursday announcement is about federal money for that corridor. The bridge over the tracks is expected to finish next month, with restoration work running into 2028.

Sources

  1. Governor Stein, NCDOT Secretary Join Federal Railroad Administration to Announce $550 Million for S-Line Rail Program

    Official sourcePublished by Office of the Governor of North Carolina · Checked Oct 18, 2026, 8:22 PM

  2. S-Line Projects — S-Line Raleigh to Richmond Project (Raleigh–Wake Forest segment, Durant Road contracts, 110 mph design speed)

    Official sourcePublished by N.C. Department of Transportation · Checked Oct 18, 2026, 8:22 PM

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