Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg visits Raleigh to celebrate new railroad service to Virginia

U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg will be in Raleigh Monday to celebrate the groundbreaking of a new railroad service.

Last December, Buttigieg and Governor Roy Cooper announced a $1 billion investment to build the rail service between Raleigh and Richmond, Virginia.

Buttigieg will be joined again by Cooper Monday afternoon for the celebration.

The plans include designing and building passenger rail routes between Raleigh and Richmond, connecting the state with Virginia, Washington, D.C. and the Northeast Corridor.

"It's a generational undertaking. It won't get done overnight but it will be done swiftly and with this funding, North Carolina will be able to bring that new transit service connecting Raleigh to Wake Forest, upgrading tracks, improving safety at several railroad crossings, and laying the groundwork for a key section of the Southeast Corridor," Buttigieg said during his initial visit in Raleigh.

WATCH | Pete Buttigieg visits Raleigh to tout $1B rail investment

The nearly $1.1 billion grant is the largest NCDOT has ever received and comes amidst a growing focus on traffic and roadway congestion caused by a population boom. A 2022 report by UNC's Kenan Institute listed Raleigh and Durham as the fourth fastest-growing cities in the country.

The project was made possible by President Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

The White House projects the rail system will be a major time-saver for travelers; currently, it takes about six hours from Raleigh Union Station to Washington, D.C., and more than ten hours from Raleigh Union Station to New York City.

The Associated Press contributed to this report