North Carolina gets its first HSR funds
Written by William C. Vantuono, Editor-in-Chief
U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced Monday that DOT is awarding North Carolina the first installment, $20.3 million, of the $545 million that President Obama granted the state in January for high speed rail corridor development.
The North Carolina Department of Transportation will use the initial founding to refurbish passenger coaches and locomotives to expand rail service across the state.
“We’re improving North Carolina’s transportation infrastructure while putting people back to work,” said Secretary LaHood (pictured at left).
Federal Railroad Administrator Joseph C. Szabo said North Carolina “has planned well and is set to build a world-class transportation network that will link the Tar Heel State to Washington, D.C. and the Northeast through high speed rail.”
Gov. Bev Perdue commented that “North Carolina has been a leader nationally in restoring passenger rail as a viable transportation alternative and we look forward to pursuing that goal in partnership with the federal government, beginning right now with this grant.”
