Here's how Wake County will benefit from the $1.7 trillion omnibus spending bill: Projects list

On Friday, the U.S. House passed the omnibus spending bill for Fiscal Year 2023. The money averts a partial government shutdown and includes billions for Ukraine.

Here's how the $1.7 trillion dollar bill will impact the Triangle.

According to Congresswoman Deborah Ross more than $26 million is headed to15 community projects across Wake County.

"I fought for funding for these essential projects because I know they will make a positive difference in our community," said Congresswoman Ross. "This week, we put politics aside to invest in the American people. From Raleigh to Wendell, these projects address critical needs in Wake County and represent transformational investments in families, students, seniors, and more. I look forward to President Biden signing this package into law and seeing how these projects will create tangible progress in Wake County."

Here are the 15 projects and funding included in the package for the Triangle area as reported by Congresswoman Ross' office

WakeMed Behavioral Health Hospital - $6,000,000: WakeMed Health & Hospitals will use this funding to establish a behavioral health hospital that will help Wake County cope with the rising number of mental health and substance-use cases. The facility will accept all clinically appropriate patients regardless of their ability to pay. It will provide a full continuum of mental health services to adolescents, adults, and geriatric patients and substance-use services to all ages.

Wake County Public Health Center - $2,000,000: Wake County will use this funding to construct a new Public Health Center. The new 151,000-square-foot building will house a variety of health clinics, along with pharmacy and lab facilities, as well as ancillary and complimentary social services programs. Wake County Public Health is the safety net clinical provider for uninsured residents. The County's 11 clinics served approximately 26,000 residents in 2021.

Maynard Road Multifamily Housing in Cary - $1,000,000: The Maynard Road Multifamily Housing is a planned 127-unit housing development that will provide quality, affordable, mixed-income rental units at below-market rents in a prime area of Cary, North Carolina. The result is needed to help address rising housing costs, especially for low-income individuals and families. In addition, the funding will be used to construct a street for the development.

Wake Tech Electric Vehicle Training - $939,041: Wake Technical Community College will use this funding for Grid to Plug to Wheels: Technician Training for Safe and Efficient Electric Vehicle Power Utilization and Maintenance. This job training program will prepare a next-generation workforce of 2-year technicians to build and maintain power supply infrastructure and service electric vehicles.

Saint Augustine's University Tuttle Public Health Center - $490,000: St. Augustine's University will use this funding to open its Tuttle Public Health Center, which will support health and wellness education, student research regarding the long-term effects of COVID-19, and related programs that will benefit St. Augustine's students and the surrounding community. Funding will be used to support faculty, establish smart classrooms for students, and purchase research and lab equipment.

GoTriangle Wake County Transit Access and Safety Improvements - $900,000: This project will address critical transit access and operation safety concerns at GoTriangle bus stops across Wake County. The project will make improvements at several locations where the design speed, traffic volumes, constrained right-of-way, and several transit passengers require safety and ADA accessibility improvements.

Raleigh-Durham International Airport North Cargo Taxilane Reconstruction - $5,000,000: This project will reconstruct the Taxilane that provides access to the North Cargo aircraft parking apron at Raleigh-Durham International Airport. This Taxilane access is critical to the operation of both FedEx and UPS, which provide freight and logistics services to central North Carolina.

Town of Holly Springs Water Reclamation - $3,000,000: The Utley Creek Water Reclamation Facility is nearing capacity due to population and economic growth. This project will employ innovative and sustainable techniques to increase capacity and divert treated wastewater for other reuses in the community.

Triangle Regional Water Partnership - $3,326,400: This project will help address the inadequate water supply intended to serve the recently announced VinFast manufacturing facility, the largest economic development project in North Carolina to date, and to provide a safe water supply for the Town of Pittsboro.

Garner Senior Center Facility Improvements - $505,200: The project will enhance safety, increase accessibility, and improve the functionality of the Garner Senior Center which hosts over 42,000 annual visits by Garner-area seniors. The facility also houses Wake County's largest congregate Meals on Wheels site serving 1,700 monthly meals on-site, and is a distribution site for 1,100 monthly delivered meals. Improvements to the facility include the replacement of aging HVAC systems to improve air handling, renovations to restrooms to enhance safety and accessibility, the addition of an accessible route to outdoor programming areas of the facility, installation of technology to ensure safe user access, enhancements to the kitchen and dining facility to improve food distribution, and other general facility upgrades.

Pleasant Grove Community Center in Wendell - $2,000,000: The community center rehabilitation will provide a space to offer families afterschool, track-out, and summer camp programs; job development services; and a business incubator to host the entrepreneurial program, LaunchWENDELL. This funding will be used for community engagement, project design, construction documents, and the rehabilitation of the old Carver Elementary School.

Tingen Road Bicycle and Pedestrian Bridge Design in Apex - $550,000: This funding will be used for the study and design of a bicycle and pedestrian bridge over the railroad crossing of Tingen Road in Apex, North Carolina. This railroad crossing is expected to close in 2025.

North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences Education Center at Prairie Ridge - $750,000: The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences will use this funding to construct an Education Center at Prairie Ridge, which will expand services to increase the number of visitors the facility can accommodate significantly. Designed for easy accessibility, including for those with limited pedestrian mobility, families with young children, and school groups, the building will feature three new assets: an indoor classroom, furnished with scientific instruments and teaching tools; universally accessible restroom facilities; and a nature porch.

Town of Morrisville Solar Panel Installations on Town Facilities- $250,000: The Town of Morrisville will use the funding to purchase and install solar arrays on three of the Town's largest energy consuming facilities to reduce its carbon footprint. The facilities include the Morrisville Aquatics and Fitness Center, Public Safety and Municipal Services Building, and Harris Mill Road Fire Station.

Town of Fuquay-Varina Continuous Operation Body Camera System - $180,000: The Town of Fuquay-Varina will use this funding to supply police officers with continuous operation body camera systems. This funding will enable Fuquay-Varina to purchase improved body-worn camera equipment for Police Officers to enhance safety, transparency, and community trust. Body cameras enhance community safety and trust and are essential for the 21st century policing.

Congresswoman Ross' legislation, the Unleashing American Innovators Act, is critical legislation that will address disparities in the U.S. patent system and expand access to patents for underrepresented communities. Her office said the bill will also establish a U.S. Patent Office in the Southeast.