Construction starts on railroad connecting Raleigh to Richmond: 'Generational investment'
RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- A railroad line, connecting Raleigh to Richmond, has been two decades in the making, but leaders are taking the first step in getting the project off the ground.
There was a groundbreaking ceremony for the new S-Line.
The billion-dollar-plus project is being called a "generational investment' that'll help residents for years to come.
Construction should take two years and it's coming as the state is breaking records for the number of people riding the train.
"(It's) really one of the biggest projects that we're supporting anywhere in the country, even on national terms," said U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.
"We know that these investments are really critical," said Governor Roy Cooper.
There will be stops in Wake Forest, Youngsville, and Henderson. All these communities are experiencing a steady rise in population.
State leaders say more people are turning to mass transit.
"What we're seeing is an increase in our train ridership significant, 38% higher last year than 2019. So people are using it as a mode of transportation to remain," said NCDOT Rail Division Director Jason Orthner.
Some business owners in Vintage Village worry how construction will impact revenue.
The center is located along DOT-owned property. It's a throwback in time and features an historic railroad station from the 1800's.
The State says Durant Road will remain open during construction.
Meghan Newkirk hopes that people still come by and shop.
"We had a hard time getting our name out there and we're super popular now and then to have this happen, we're hoping that it won't hurt our customer base," she said.
The project is going to create about 8,000 jobs for our area.
WATCH | Pete Buttigieg visits Raleigh to tout $1B rail investment
The project was made possible by President Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
The White House projects the rail system will be a major time-saver for travelers; currently, it takes about six hours from Raleigh Union Station to Washington, D.C., and more than ten hours from Raleigh Union Station to New York City.
