RALEIGH - On July 2, 2024, Governor Roy Cooper joined US Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg for multiple stops during the first state trip of the Secretary’s national summer construction tour. The Governor and Secretary Buttigieg 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 joined a walking tour in Durham on Holloway Street of projects funded by the federal RAISE grant.

The Governor and Secretary Buttigieg were joined by Winston-Salem Mayor Allen Joines, Durham Mayor Leonardo Williams and other officials as they highlighted infrastructure projects and federal investments across the state.

“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 that will link Truist Stadium, Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist hospital and downtown businesses to the Winston-Salem Strollway, downtown commercial districts and a number of residential neighborhoods. Today’s groundbreaking marks the start of Phase 1 of the $2.9 project, which is funded by Federal Transportation Alternatives and Surface Transportation Block Grant (STBG) Program funds.

The North Carolina A&T Transportation Institute is a research, training, and technology transfer unit housed in the Willie A. Deese College of Business and Economics. During the visit, Governor Cooper and Secretary Buttigieg spoke with student about their research projects, toured the rural test track and watched a drone demonstration. NCDOT is partnering with NCA&T to conduct research on autonomous vehicles to prepare for the future of transportation.

The City of Durham was awarded $12 million through the federal RAISE grant to increase safety along Holloway Street. The initiative will help improve intersections, close sidewalk gaps and upgrade bus stops and more.

The Biden-Harris Administration’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is making an historic investment of over $415 billion to improve the nation’s roads, bridges, rail, public transit and its ports and airports. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is bringing $9.3 billion in funding for over 439 projects to North Carolina.