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The recently passed “Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act” (also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law) means new projects and good-paying jobs are coming to North Carolina. I have been traveling around North Carolina’s Fourth Congressional District to meet with local officials and highlight possible projects that the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law could help fund. Use the links below to watch the videos and learn more!
Wake Forest – Raleigh to Richmond Rail Connection
My
first stop was the Elm Avenue Railroad crossing, where I spoke to Sig
Hutchinson, the Chair of the Wake County Commission, about improving the Raleigh-to-Richmond rail connection. The
Bipartisan Infrastructure Law includes $66 billion in additional
passenger and freight rail funding over five years, some of which could be
used to develop the S-Line between Raleigh and Richmond. This
high-performance passenger rail project will eventually connect 9
million people and 6 million jobs along the
new rail corridor, including 95,000 jobs created during the
construction timeframe.
Raleigh Durham International Airport – Runway Updates
Next, I
headed over to the Raleigh Durham International Airport (RDU) where I was joined by Representative Deborah Ross (NC-02) and Mike Landguth, the President and CEO of RDU. RDU’s number one priority is replacing a runway, a necessary first step towards expanding operations. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law includes $15 billion in funding for the Airport Improvement Program (AIP) across the country. Specifically, RDU will receive an estimated $75 million dollars from in AIP funding over the next five years to help replace the runway. RDU is critical to connecting North Carolina to the world and helps us attract and retain top-notch employers.
Cleaner Busses in Durham
My most recent stop was meeting Durham Mayor Elaine O’Neal at the Durham Bus Station. GoDurham provides affordable
transportation options for many Durham residents, but its buses
need repairs and upgrades. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law
has increased funding for the Low or
No Emission Vehicle Program by $5.6
billion over the next five years. If a grant were awarded to
GoDurham, they could add new, environmentally friendly
buses to their fleet.
Repairing and Replacing North
Carolina Bridges
The
Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will also have a huge impact on bridges
in North Carolina. Our state will receive $457
million over the next five years to build, repair, or
upgrade over 1,000 bridges that are currently in poor condition.
Repairing these local bridges across the state is essential for getting
people to school or work, moving commerce, and connecting our communities.
To
learn more about the exciting projects that could
be funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, check out the
videos of my visits around the district featured on Twitter or Facebook. Stay tuned for more updates soon!
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