NCDOT begins major S-Line upgrades in Wake County: New Hope Church Road bridge to cut traffic

The North Carolina Department of Transportation is improving railroad crossings in Wake County as part of a larger railroad project called the S-Line Project.

There will be noticeable construction in areas as the work on the project between Raleigh and Wake Forest is being done.

Construction started in February at New Hope Church Road to replace the traditional railroad crossing with a bridge that will go over the tracks. This will allow for traffic to continue flowing when a train comes through and will reduce traffic significantly.

The cost for this location is almost $23 million dollars and will take about three years. Similar construction began on Durant Road in 2024. 

And once land is acquired, the same work will begin at Millbrook Road and Rogers Road in Wake Forest. 

North Carolina and Virginia purchased the right of way for the S-line between Raleigh and Petersburg VA to grow freight and passenger rail service. And the line, once complete, will connect Raleigh to Richmond. From there, it will connect passengers to Washington D.C. and the Northeast.

The timeline for the entire project is still very much up in the air. But the portion of the S-line that will connect Raleigh to Wake Forest should be complete around 2032. 

The NCDOT believes the rail line will create a faster, more frequent passenger rail service to serve these locations. 

“This project is a game changer for those who travel along the East Coast corridor – once complete, the service will save over an hour of travel time between Raleigh and Richmond,” said NCDOT Secretary Daniel Johnson.