Another year, another record for rail ridership in North Carolina
- July 19, 2024
- Posted by: Jacob Rigg
- Category: Blog
RTA members and partners.
Intercity passenger rail usage in North Carolina continues to soar in 2024. Ridership is up 20 percent versus last year. This includes running special promotional trips like the Open Express from Raleigh to the 2024 U.S. Open in Pinehurst which transported over 2,500 fans to the event over a four-day period in June.
With the $1 billion rail grant from USDOT, North Carolina will be able to extend our existing Charlotte – Durham – Cary – Raleigh “Piedmont” rail service north to Wake Forest and eventually to Richmond, Virginia.
In addition, GoTriangle has successfully received more than $25 million in federal funding to build an RTP mobility hub that would serve as the future intercity rail connection in the Park and directly link to future BRT that will serve western Wake County, eastern Durham and RTP.
Congratulations to the North Carolina DOT Rail Division, Amtrak, and each of our companies and families that have increasingly used the intercity service across our state. More to come!
Let’s get moving,
Joe
Joe Milazzo, PE
RTA executive director
