$1 billion is just the start for more direct rail between Raleigh, Richmond

North Carolina is getting $1 billion to start construction on a high-speed passenger rail line that will connect Raleigh to Richmond, Virginia.

The S-Line will run from Sanford to Richmond with stops in towns along the way, including Apex, Youngsville and Henderson.

New federal funding will build the first part of the line between Raleigh and Wake Forest, which could shorten in-state commutes for Triangle residents.

United States Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg joined Gov. Roy Cooper and Raleigh Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin on Monday to highlight the project inside Raleigh Union Station.

"We’re finally delivering the world-class passenger rail service Americans ought to have," Buttigieg said.

"I hope this is just the beginning," Baldwin added.

The $1 billion will allow the state to start construction on a high-speed passenger rail line.

"That’s what this is about ... getting people from one place to the next in an easier, faster and cleaner way," Cooper said.

Currently, Amtrak trains go from Raleigh to Selma and through Rocky Mount. It currently takes about 3 hours and 51 minutes to get to Richmond by train.

The S-Line is a direct route using freight rail tracks. It will reduce the time it takes to travel to Virginia's capital city by an hour.

Construction on the S-Line will start with the stretch between Raleigh and Wake Forest. The federal grant will pay to upgrade the tracks and make the trip safer by replacing several railroad street crossings with bridges.

Adding passenger rail service could also cut down commute times on Raleigh's congested Capitol Boulevard.

"We’re going to remove a headache for a lot of people," Baldwin said.

"Even if you don’t use the train, you’re going to be better off from all the people who do and the congestion it reduces when that happens," Buttigieg said.

The proposed 162-mile rail line between Raleigh and Richmond could make stops in several towns in the Triangle.

However, the North Carolina Department of Transportation [NCDOT] said the grant is for a passenger rail, which connects the centers of cities and towns by traveling long distances. A department spokesperson said the proposed rail is not a commuter rail, which has shorter stops and connects suburbs to city centers.

Baldwin said she wanted to commend the NCDOT's rail division.

"They have been unbelievable in building relationships and doing the work to make this happen," Baldwin said.