U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg Delivers Remarks at Groundbreaking in North Carolina for New Passenger Rail Route Connecting Raleigh and Richmond

RALEIGH, N.C. - Today, seven months after first announcing the funding award, U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg joined Governor Roy Cooper for the groundbreaking for the Durant Rail Grade Separation project. This investment in North Carolina's passenger rail infrastructure, made possible through funding from President Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, is part of the historic $66 billion investment in passenger rail projects across the country.

The full transcript of Secretary Buttigieg's remarks is below:

Thank you. First of all, thank you, Santana, for the example that you have set, and it's so moving to hear about the growth and the work of your company.

You're right, you're doing something that would make any father proud-to see the extraordinary work happening, helping to create the infrastructure that a new generation can count on.

And that generation of good-paying jobs and business opportunities-opportunities reaching businesses that maybe weren't included in the past, is a big part of what motivates us to work so hard on this infrastructure legislation.

I want to thank Governor Cooper for his leadership. He's right, it feels like it's always good news when I come to North Carolina. Part of why you're seeing me here so often is that his administration, the North Carolina DOT, and the Secretary's staff, and everybody that he's been working with, understand the importance of infrastructure and have made certain to work with us to make good things happen. This is something that any state would be proud of. Few states have stepped forward as vigorously as North Carolina, under the Governor's leadership, to ensure that we meet this moment, created by President Biden's infrastructure package, to make this generational investment count.

I want to acknowledge members of Congress who have also been a very important part of our work to get this done. Valerie Foushee, who, I don't know if she's made it-I definitely saw her in Committee a few days ago, and we appreciate her involvement. Representative Wiley Nickel, thank you for joining us. And I believe Representatives Davis and Ross were unavailable to join us today, but I know how passionate they are about the growth that's going on here.

And to all the local leaders, including the mayor who we've celebrated with many times: it's just great to be with you today.

Last but not least, I want to take a moment to acknowledge Senator Tillis, who was among the Republicans who crossed the aisle to work with President Biden, work with Democrats, around the principle that there's nothing Democratic or Republican about believing that Americans ought to enjoy first-rate infrastructure and excellent transportation-and we hope more of that bipartisan spirit prevails on more efforts that we have underway in Washington.

Feels like it wasn't that long ago-it was December-that I was in Raleigh to announce an $8.2 billion nationwide investment in passenger rail, including that commitment of over $1 billion for passenger rail right here in North Carolina.

I've often said, I feel like I have the best job in the federal government, and that's due in large part to projects like the ones that we're celebrating. I've been able to visit, just in the last three-and-a-half years, nearly every state in the union. I've met with community leaders, business leaders, men and women working on these projects to see how President Biden's investments are making transportation safer, more efficient, and more accessible for more people.

Every one of those projects is memorable, but I have to admit that this is pretty high on the list of ones that excites us-even out of the 57,000 projects and counting, that we are supporting through the President's infrastructure package.

Partly because this is something that has been in the works for years long before my name had anything to do with transportation-unless you count my childhood dreams of being an airline pilot.

This is something that's been talked about since the federal government first recognized the potential for world-class rail in the Southeast Corridor in the 1990s. I won't tell you what I was doing in the 1990s, but for too long-like so many compelling transportation visions-it was just on paper.

We're changing that in the most literally concrete terms today.

So, on behalf of the Biden-Harris Administration, it's a thrill to join you to celebrate the groundbreaking of the Durant Road grade separation-the first step toward building the S-Line passenger train from Raleigh to Wake Forest, and ultimately on to Richmond.

We've got a lot to celebrate by being here today.

This really represents the beginning of a new era of passenger rail in North Carolina, and it's remarkable to think, while on one hand I can talk about the many years of vision and preparation and planning that led to getting here, also the extraordinary speed since the funding was announced. To get, in seven months, from an award announcement to shovels literally going into the ground is something that is exceptional for projects of this size and complexity.

And that really is a testament to everybody here who has been so focused on bringing this project together.

But of course, it's also happening because we now have a President in Washington who has made investing in our nation's infrastructure-and working closely with state and local governments-a cornerstone of this administration. And with the partnership of people like Governor Cooper, Senator Tillis and other members of Congress, and North Carolina DOT, President Biden is making good on his promises.

I'd be remiss if I didn't note that this is in contrast with what we have seen before: a prior administration that declared "infrastructure week" every year without any results until it became a punchline in Washington-a byword for all talk and no action.

And that came after decades of disinvestment and underinvestment had become the norm in this country that stopped our infrastructure from reaching its potential, especially our nation's passenger rail. So, I think this is a moment that is really a chance to change the way that that story has been headed.

As you can tell, Governor Cooper is a passionate advocate for passenger rail, so I just want to say to the Secretary and to everybody at NC DOT: I know what it's like to have a boss who is very focused on getting results in passenger rail, and it's nice to be able to report to your boss that things are moving when it comes to passenger rail, so I'm glad to join you in making that a reality.

Where we are today is one of several new crossings being funded, in part, by the $1.1 billion that we announced last year.

Instead of being at the same level as the roadway, the new crossing runs below the road, which means people get time back in their days because they're not waiting at that crossing-and it means a safety benefit, because there's no possibility of an accident or collision between vehicles and trains.

Also, new tracks and upgraded tracks are being put down that'll modernize the state's railways, getting that train running from Raleigh to Wake Forest and ultimately all the way on up to Richmond.

And it's important to note that you don't have to be a passenger rail buff to recognize real value in this, because that brings an affordable-as well as fast and convenient-way to travel within the state and on up through the mid-Atlantic in the Northeast at up to 110 miles an hour.

It means economic growth and opportunity, first and right away in the form of the jobs that we're creating to get the work done, like what Santana was talking about, and then when it's complete all the business and investment that comes once the project is ready.

And it all starts right here at Durant Road, which just happens to be the first place that I have the privilege of visiting as part of what we're marking as a "summer of construction" across America.

We'll have the opportunity to tour some of the exciting projects we're supporting in North Carolina over the next couple days, looking at work that'll help reduce congestion and make travel safer through the Raleigh Belt Line and the Winston-Salem Northern Beltway. There's a new multi-use path, also in Winston-Salem, that's going to make it easier for residents to safely walk or bike in their community. And I'll be in Durham to see some of the work that we're doing to make it easier for people to access the city's busiest bus route.

Every one of those projects-and the 57,000 others that are funded and counting through President Biden's infrastructure package-is really about one simple purpose: which is to make everyday life easier for the American people.

And that is a mission for this administration that goes beyond our transportation work.

Every part of what we're working on includes a focus on affordability. We know what happened to prices after COVID, we know that for many families this has presented a tremendous challenge.

It's why the Administration has worked so hard to bring inflation down to 3% and has been willing to take on corporations caught in price gouging so that we can lower the cost of everyday essentials and reduce the bills that people are paying for groceries, gas, and more.

Here in North Carolina, over 2 million seniors and Medicare beneficiaries will save on prescription drugs thanks to President Biden's cap on out-of-pocket costs, and a million North Carolinians were able to sign up for affordable health insurance thanks to the Affordable Care Act-healthcare being another example of where the governor's extraordinary leadership, in concert with what the Biden-Harris Administration is working to do, is changing lives.

There's an enormous amount of work going on, and an enormous amount of work ahead of us, but when it comes to passenger rail, to me the bottom line is we are delivering a future where, by the time my kids are old enough to ask-by the way, I've got some toddlers who would love to play with some of the heavy equipment I see; I think I'm finally going to impress my two-and-a-half-year-old son about the work I do when he sees me in front of this heavy equipment.

But by the time they're old enough to ask questions about it, they won't know a country that didn't care or didn't seem to care about passenger rail, and we will move on from the day where your cousin would come back from a trip abroad and say "why can't we have nice passenger rail like they do in every other developed country," and instead people will return from their visits to places like North Carolina saying "I wish we had more of this" wherever it is that they live.

We are setting that course. We're putting our money where our mouth is. And now, after a lot of work and a fair amount of waiting, we're turning some dirt.

So with that, I can't wait to pick up a shovel and celebrate with you.

Thank you again for the chance to join you and keep up the great work.

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