North Carolina Submits 7 Rail Corridors for Federal Funding Review

North Carolina transportation officials sent seven passenger rail corridors to the Federal Railroad Administration's Corridor Identification and Development Program. All seven received initial approval, connecting cities like Wilmington, Fayetteville, Kings Mountain, Atlanta, and Winston-Salem.

The federal program might cover up to 80% of expenses. State or local governments would pay the rest. North Carolina wants to grow passenger rail service statewide, with plans centered on a Raleigh-to-Wilmington connection.

Officials studied potential rail routes linking Raleigh to Greenville, Hamlet, Morehead City, Weldon, and Winston-Salem to Charlotte. The Raleigh-to-Wilmington line carries an estimated price tag of $810 million. That includes $162 million from local and state sources.

"We've heard from communities across the state … they are interested in seeing that type of service come to their community," Jason Orthner, director of the North Carolina Department of Transportation's rail division, told lawmakers during a recent hearing before a transportation oversight committee, according to WRAL.

Most projects remain in early planning and federal review. NCDOT hasn't set construction timelines.

The state examined whether a train could run six times daily between Raleigh and Wilmington, stopping in Goldsboro. Right now, Amtrak riders heading to Wilmington must exit in Wilson and switch to a bus for the remaining distance — a trip stretching over 10 hours.

Ridership on existing Amtrak Piedmont and Carolinian services reached the highest point in 35 years. The state recorded a 59% jump since 2019, proving strong public interest in intercity rail.

A Salisbury-to-Asheville route would run about $665 million. Some bigger projects, including parts of the S-Line running from Raleigh to Richmond and Raleigh to Wake Forest, could require billions. One segment alone received $1.9 billion in funding.

Several projects lack funding and would require additional approvals before construction starts. The state has poured hundreds of millions into rail and transit studies, but many haven't produced new service.

A $150 million Triangle light-rail study never produced service, and other planning efforts stalled or yielded little progress.