North Carolina Hopes to Lure Extra Rail Money

As states return money aimed at high speed rail projects, officials from North Carolina are hoping to scramble up some of this newly available funding to augment existing projects.

1 minute read

January 19, 2011, 6:00 AM PST

By Nate Berg


Officials are specifically hoping to spur a project connecting Charlotte and Raleigh.

"State transportation officials spent a few days in Washington last week trying to get their hands on more than $500 million in stimulus funds that the Obama administration pledged in January 2010 - but has not yet paid out - for a big railroad upgrade between Charlotte and Raleigh.

North Carolina is in a hurry to secure the money before it is snatched back by new Republican leaders in the House of Representatives, who are looking for opportunities to curtail a few billion dollars in high-speed rail spending."

Monday, January 17, 2011 in News and Observer

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