American Dream

Research Triangle Park, NC - The Triangle Transit Authority has taken another step toward realizing its plan of a regional rail system by sealing two deals with the Norfolk Southern Railroad company needed to ensure use of existing sections of railroad. TTA also signed a deal with state-owned North Carolina Railroad Co. to allow use of the railroad corridor between Raleigh and Durham and an agreement with freight carrier CSX to secure access to a corridor between Cary and Raleigh. The agreements with Norfolk Southern gives the TTA access to the corridors necessary to build the 28-mile rail transit system, which is schedule to have 12 stations connecting Durham, Research Triangle Park, Cary and Raleigh. The TTA's plan for a regional rail linking the key destinations in the Triangle has suffered major shortfalls in terms of funding and support. In December, the Federal Transit Administration announced that the project would receive a low rating. Less than a month later, a number of Wake County commissioners and state legislators opined that the plug should be pulled on TTA's local funding.