South Raleigh News

Governor Roy Cooper joined US Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg today for a series of stops during the first state trip of the Secretary’s national summer construction tour. The officials attended the groundbreaking of the Salem Parkway Multi-Use Trail in Winston-Salem, visited North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University’s Transportation Institute in Greensboro, and participated in a walking tour on Holloway Street in Durham, highlighting projects funded by the federal RAISE grant.

Winston-Salem Mayor Allen Joines, Durham Mayor Leonardo Williams, and other officials accompanied Governor Cooper and Secretary Buttigieg as they showcased infrastructure projects and federal investments across North Carolina.

“Infrastructure initiatives are underway across North Carolina thanks to collaboration among local, state and federal partners,” said Governor Cooper. “These projects make our roads, highways, parks and cities safer and improve the lives of people in every corner of our state.”

The Salem Parkway Multi-Use Trail is a 1.3-mile urban trail designed to connect Truist Stadium, Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist hospital, downtown businesses, the Winston-Salem Strollway, commercial districts, and residential neighborhoods. Today’s groundbreaking marks Phase 1 of this $2.9 million project funded by Federal Transportation Alternatives and Surface Transportation Block Grant (STBG) Program funds.

At North Carolina A&T State University’s Transportation Institute, housed within the Willie A. Deese College of Business and Economics, Governor Cooper and Secretary Buttigieg engaged with students about their research projects. They toured a rural test track and observed a drone demonstration. The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) is collaborating with NCA&T to conduct research on autonomous vehicles to prepare for future transportation needs.

Durham received $12 million through the federal RAISE grant to enhance safety along Holloway Street by improving intersections, closing sidewalk gaps, upgrading bus stops, among other improvements.

The Biden-Harris Administration’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is making an historic investment of over $415 billion to enhance the nation’s roads, bridges, railways, public transit systems as well as its ports and airports. This law allocates $9.3 billion for more than 439 projects across North Carolina.

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