In addition to supporting federal agencies and programs important to North Carolinians through the regular appropriations process, Congresswoman Deborah Ross is committed to supporting and advancing projects across North Carolina’s Second Congressional District that will provide lasting value to the people of our communities. Please see the Appropriations Requests tab for information on submitting a Community Project Funding request for FY 2025. Below is a list of projects that Congresswoman Ross secured funding for.
Projects Secured for Fiscal Year 2024
Subcommittee/Agency/Account: Commerce, Justice, Science/U.S. Department of Justice/State and Local Justice Assistance – Byrne Justice Assistance Grants (JAG)Project Name: Police Cruiser Replacements and Upgrades
Recipient: Town of Knightdale
Address: 950 Steeple Square Ct., Knightdale, NC 27545
Amount Secured: $360,000
Project Description: The Town of Knightdale requests $360,000 in community project funding for a police cruiser replacement and upgrade project. Knightdale is one of the fastest growing communities in North Carolina, with a current population of over 20,000 in January 2023. The Town’s jurisdiction is also expanding, which increases call volume and officer response times to calls. Adding to Knightdale’s patrol vehicle fleet and replacing outdated cruisers is critical to service delivery. Police cruisers allow officers to facilitate safe traffic direction, aid in traffic enforcement, and help promote the safety of the motoring public. These vehicles are easily deployed throughout the community, providing a means for the officer to swiftly respond to emergency situations. Vehicles allow agencies to quickly mobilize law enforcement personnel at a local, regional, state, and even national levels should circumstances require. Police cruisers serve as the office space for our men and women in blue, allowing them a place to escape the elements, prepare reports, store vital public safety equipment, and transport offenders. A recent citizen satisfaction survey revealed a desire for increased police visibility in the Knightdale community. This project will allow Knightdale to field modern police cruisers equipped with all the tool necessary for officers to perform at a high level and to maintain individual assignment of police cruisers, thus increasing the police department’s visual presence in the community and maximizing vehicle service life. Funds requested will allow the agency to deploy several five vehicle projects, which include the purchase price of the police cruiser, emergency equipment, decals/striping, a paired in-car & body-worn camera system, police radio, RADAR unit, and equipment storage. The project amount covers service costs associated with professional installation of the equipment.
Signed Disclosure Letter here
Subcommittee/Agency/Account: Commerce, Justice, Science/U.S. Department of Justice/State and Local Justice Assistance – Byrne Justice Assistance Grants (JAG)
Project Name: Body-Worn Camera and In-Car Camera Systems Upgrades
Recipient: Town of Morrisville
Address: 100 Town Hall Drive, Morrisville, NC 27560
Amount Secured: $120,000
Project Description: The Town of Morrisville requests $120,384 in community project funding for a police department body-worn camera and in-car camera systems upgrade project. The Morrisville Police Department (MPD) currently deploys 31 WatchGuard Vista body-worn cameras (BWCs) and WatchGuard 4RE in-car camera systems, with 10 backups. In 2019 WatchGuard was acquired by Motorola Solutions (Motorola), and in December 2022, Motorola notified MPD that they were no longer producing Vista BWCs and new products offered would not be supported by older, server-based software. To meet both current and identified future staffing needs, MPD needs to expand its camera program systems by 17 bundled units and upgrade its current stock of body-worn and in-car camera systems to Motorola’s new systems: V300 and M500 respectively. Additionally, MPD seeks to transition from a server-based to cloud-based video storage solution to improve digital multimedia evidence (DME) documentation and storage. Excluding command personnel and the Training Sergeant, MPD desires to outfit all sworn personnel with a body-worn camera but is limited due to potential replacement concerns, and so MPD currently only outfits Field Operations personnel. Beginning FY24 to FY28, MPD proposes to add five sworn positions that would require these camera components. The addition of 17 camera systems would meet both current staffing needs and proposed future staffing needs in the coming years. Moving to a cloud-based server would provide unlimited storage capacity, storage redundancy, and seamless integration with updated software. The current server-based system is limited to approximately 50,000 GB of storage and provides no backup or redundancy measures. MPD is well positioned to maximize the benefits of upgraded body-worn and in-car camera systems. Funds will be used to transition to 48 V300 body-worn cameras and 48 M500 in-car cameras, which would be supported by a new, cloud-based DME solution.
Signed Disclosure Letter here
Subcommittee/Agency/Account: Commerce, Justice, Science/U.S. Department of Justice/Community Oriented Policing Services – Technology and Equipment
Project Name: Modular Vehicle Barrier System
Recipient: Apex Police Department
Address: 205 Saunders St., Apex, NC 27502
Amount Secured: $182,000
Project Description: The Apex Police Department requests $182,000 in community project funding for a Modular Vehicle Barrier System for crowd safety at community events. In 2022, the Town of Apex hosted 14 community events in its downtown footprint with a total estimated attendance of 80,240 people. The town’s largest single event attendance estimate reached 25,000 people. The town’s biggest concern is the safety of community members at these events. By purchasing a Modular Vehicle Barrier System (MVBS), the Apex Police Department will be able to reduce the number of staff assigned to street closures and increase flexibility of staff working the event footprint. The design of the MVBS allows for ease of movement for quick egress and ingress for emergency personnel. This system provides the security the town need to keep the crowd safe while allowing for quick flow of emergency vehicle traffic should the need arise. Apex is fast growing community, and its events will only get bigger as the community grows. Adding the MVBS will greatly assist the Apex Police Department in providing quality service to the Apex community. Funds will be used for a one-time purchase of the entire mobile vehicle barricade system through Advanced Security Technologies.
Signed Disclosure Letter here
Subcommittee/Agency/Account: Commerce, Justice, Science/U.S. Department of Justice/Community Oriented Policing Services – Technology and Equipment
Project Name: Public Safety Intelligence Management System
Recipient: Raleigh Police Department
Address: 6716 Six Forks Road, Raleigh, NC 27615
Amount Secured: $629,000
Project Description: The Raleigh Police Department requests $629,032 in community project funding for a Public Safety Intelligence Management System project. To better address crime, develop better public safety results, and research homeland security threats to the city, the Raleigh Police Department needs to modernize and bolster its Intelligence Center with a database that has the capabilities to offer real-time actionable information on crime patterns and emergencies. Currently, Raleigh’s Police Department Intelligence Center does not have modern business intelligence tools to provide real-time intelligence or link analysis to map out and visualize the patterns necessary to connect people and events. This type of technology is essential today for law enforcement to affect outcomes by targeting criminal acts in progress. Law enforcement needs the capability to conduct detailed analysis to preemptively identify crime trends and patterns to drive police response to areas needing greater attention and enforcement action. The Raleigh Police Department proposes to partner with SAS to purchase and integrate their Public Safety Intelligence Management software. SAS’s business intelligence tools combined with a Raleigh Police Department database will provide the ability to link people, entities, and identifying information to events to create an interconnected visual web that reveals criminal patterns and trends. Additionally, SAS’s confidential informant solution will provide the Raleigh Police Department with the ability to securely manage reported crime information and track an informant's lifecycle. Using this technology, every interaction is recorded and vetted for accuracy and reliability, providing early warning when problems appear and enabling investigation and intervention if necessary. Funds will be used for the initial year of an annual software license, the initial year hosting fee, installation services, CAD/RMS integration, and configuration services, totaling $629,032.
Signed Disclosure Letter here
Subcommittee/Agency/Account: Interior and Environment/EPA/State and Tribal Assistance Grants
Project Name: Walnut Creek Stormwater Management Project
Recipient: Town of Cary
Address: 316 N Academy St, Cary, NC 27513
Amount Secured: $1,919,504
Project Description: The project will include acquisition of land parcels and an evaluation and design of potential green stormwater practices, such as revegetation and stream bank restoration, in an area where structures are regularly flooded. These practices and the purchase of land parcels will provide environmental and economic benefits and protect against the harmful impacts of stormwater runoff. Congresswoman Ross secured this funding with Congressman Wiley Nickel (NC-13).
Signed Disclosure Letter here
Subcommittee/Agency/Account: Interior and Environment/EPA/State and Tribal Assistance Grants
Project Name: Apex Cash Corporate Center Sewer Interceptor
Recipient: Town of Apex
Address: 73 Hunter Street, PO Box 250, Apex, North Carolina, 27502
Amount Secured: $1,919,504
Project Description: The funding would be used to construct a gravity sewer main extending through the Cash-Perkins property, connecting to the future Upper Middle Creek Gravity Interceptor and the proposed Middle Creek Gravity Interceptor and regional pump station for Horton Park. This gravity sewer will allow both the Cash-Perkins and Pinnacle Park Pump Stations to be taken offline resulting in more efficient service delivery and reduced maintenance cost for public utilities. Congresswoman Ross secured this funding with Congressman Wiley Nickel (NC-13).
Signed Disclosure Letter here
Subcommittee/Agency/Account: Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development / HUD / Economic Development Initiatives
Project Name: Grosvenor Gardens Apartments Rehabilitation
Recipient: CASA
Address: 624 W Jones Street, Raleigh, NC 27603
Amount Secured: $1,500,000
Project Description: Grosvenor Gardens is an historic and affordable apartment community in downtown Raleigh. CASA acquired the property in November of 2022 to prevent the displacement of the 62 households that call Grosvenor Gardens home. Built in 1939, the building needs to be rehabilitated, including replacing the original roof, outdated electrical systems, and old plumbing. CASA is seeking funding to ensure the long-term preservation of the building so that it can continue to serve as affordable housing in a highly walkable, transit-oriented area with great economic and educational opportunities.
Signed Disclosure Letter here
Subcommittee/Agency/Account: Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development / HUD / Economic Development Initiatives
Project Name: Supportive Housing for Youth Transitioning out of Foster Care
Recipient: CASA
Address: 624 W Jones Street, Raleigh, NC 27603
Amount Secured: $1,000,000
Project Description: CASA plans to develop a safe, supportive, and affordable housing community for youth aging out of foster care who are experiencing homelessness. This new construction project will consist of an apartment building with 9 residential units, an office, small community space, and laundry facilities. CASA will partner with the Hope Center at Pullen (HCP), a nonprofit supportive services provider for youth transitioning out of foster care, to provide referrals for the units and onsite wraparound services for the residents. One unit will be dedicated to a Resident Advisor, either a graduate of HCP’s Transition Program or a MSW student, to provide an additional layer of support, particularly after business hours when HCP staff will be off site. Tenants will pay just 30% of their income for rent and utilities. HCP will work with Wake Housing Authority to get FYI vouchers for each of the potential tenants. The units will be targeted for households making less than 30% AMI.
Signed Disclosure Letter here
Subcommittee/Agency/Account: Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development / HUD / Economic Development Initiatives
Project Name: Rolesville Library Site Development
Recipient: Town of Rolesville
Address: 502 Southtown Circle, Rolesville, NC 27571
Amount Secured: $325,000
Project Description: Federal funds will be used for the Town of Rolesville to demolish two town-owned properties and prepare those property sites for a new library. Rolesville, one of the fastest growing towns in the state, is the only municipality in Wake County without a library. The library will be located in downtown Rolesville and will be a catalyst for economic development while also providing an essential resource to Roseville residents. In August 2022, Rolesville and Wake County entered a Memorandum of Understanding committing the entities to mutually develop this site for a regional library.
Signed Disclosure Letter here
Subcommittee/Agency/Account: Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development / HUD / Economic Development Initiatives
Project Name: Rolesville Main Street Park Improvements and Enhancements
Recipient: Town of Rolesville
Address: 502 Southtown Circle, Rolesville, NC 27571
Amount Secured: $406,000
Project Description: The Town of Rolesville has grown over 150% within the last decade making it the fastest growing community in North Carolina with 5,000+ population. Main Street Park is a centerpiece of the Town of Rolesville’s efforts to ensure that historical Main Street turns into a true town center and there is a time-sensitive need to complete Main Street Park improvements to align with the broader state and local investments underway. The project will make critical repairs to infrastructure, improve equipment and facilities to adhere to new and emerging accessibility standards, install broadband, and make enhancements that address safety and maximize connectivity along Main Street. The improvements will address gaps that have been identified in the Town’s Master Park Plan and funding constraints for the Town that otherwise make the project difficult to complete soon.
Signed Disclosure Letter here
Subcommittee/Agency/Account: Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development / HUD / Economic Development Initiatives
Project Name: Alexander Jones Wright YMCA Youth Center Construction
Recipient: The Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) of the Triangle Area, Inc.
Address: 801 Corporate Center Drive, Suite 200, Raleigh, NC 27607
Amount Secured: $1,000,000
Project Description: In the past three years, needs of constituents have grown dramatically. From food insecurity to educational and health disparities to isolation and mental illness—many are hurting. Youth desperately need social, emotional and academic support. To serve youth more boldly, the Alexander YMCA requests funds for the construction of a 10,000 square foot youth center to include:
Multipurpose gym for youth sports
Multipurpose space for academic assistance, afterschool, day camp and teen leadership programs
Outdoor areas for group and individual recreation, wellness activities, and outdoor play.
The center will provide space to expand afterschool and summer offerings for youth in Raleigh. Enhanced sports, wellness, and leadership development programs provide a safe, enriching environment for children and teens to thrive. The Alexander YMCA Youth Annex meets a compelling local need consistent with the statutory purposes.
Signed Disclosure Letter here
Subcommittee/Agency/Account: Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development / DOT / Grants-in-Aid for Airports
Project Name: Replacement Runway 5L/23R – Phase 1 Construction
Recipient: Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority
Address: 1000 Trade Drive, PO Box 80001, RDU Airport, NC 27623
Amount Secured: $1,116,279
Project Description: Existing Runway 5L-23R consists of concrete pavement that is beyond the end of its useful life. Due to the effects of ASR, ongoing pavement maintenance is expensive and operationally disruptive to maintain. The RDU approved Airport Layout Plan includes a replacement runway approximately 537 feet to the northwest of the existing runway. Schematic Design of the new runway has been completed and the Environmental Assessment is nearing completion. The Authority anticipates a Record of Decision in June of 2023. The first Phase of construction is anticipated to begin in federal fiscal year 2024.
Signed Disclosure Letter here
Subcommittee/Agency/Account: Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development / DOT / Highway Infrastructure Programs
Project Name: South Salem Street Bicycle Connection
Recipient: Town of Apex
Address: Apex Town Hall, 73 Hunter Street, PO Box 250, Apex, NC 27502
Amount Secured: $850,000
Project Description: This request is for right-of-way and construction of a three-mile bicycle connection from downtown Apex to Pleasant Park (see Figure 1 and Attachment 1). The design and environmental study of the project is proposed to be completed by the Town between July 2023 – June 2024. Bicycle lanes are envisioned between Pleasant Plains Road and Apex Peakway, transitioning to shared lane markings as the corridor narrows and speed limit lowers toward downtown. This project was identified as a high priority in Bike Apex: The Comprehensive Bicycle Plan. It is the community’s highest-priority on-road bicycle project. South Salem Street/Old US 1 Highway is a designated North Carolina bicycle route. Bicycle activity is high, but no infrastructure for cyclists is in place. A fatal bicycle crash occurred along this corridor in 2007. This area is also the focus of the S-Line Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) Study, currently being led by NCDOT, with participation from the Town of Apex and seven other communities along the 90-mile rail corridor. The S-Line TOD study is intended to prepare the Town for future expanded passenger rail service and a local station along the S-Line railroad corridor, which runs adjacent and parallel to South Salem Street. NCDOT has already received funding for the next phase of study, which will include a feasibility study for a future mobility hub, intended to serve multiple modes of transportation even prior to the start of new rail service. The mobility hub will be located adjacent to the South Salem Street corridor. There are also existing stops for three bus routes (one local and two regional) along, or in the immediate vicinity of, the South Salem corridor. The proposed project would connect key destinations in Apex, complete the highest-priority on-road bicycle corridor, improve safety of bicycle travel, support multimodal connections to transit, and leverage private and public improvements in this rapidly-growing area.
Signed Disclosure Letter here
Subcommittee/Agency/Account: Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development / DOT / Highway Infrastructure Programs
Project Name: Walnut Creek Greenway Design
Recipient: Town of Cary
Address: 316 North Academy Street, Cary, NC 27513
Amount Secured: $500,000
Project Description: The project will fund the design of the Walnut Creek Greenway bicycle and pedestrian trail through the Town of Cary, including grade-separations under and over four-lane median-divided roadways, crossings of streams and a rail line, and at-grade roadway crossings. The greenway trail will create a safe and equitable transportation option that enhances the quality of life and health outcomes for residents and visitors.
Signed Disclosure Letter here
Subcommittee/Agency/Account: Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development / DOT / Transit Infrastructure Grants
Project Name: Eastern Wake Transit Access Improvements
Recipient: Research Triangle Regional Public Transportation Authority (GoTriangle)
Address: 4600 Emperor Blvd, Durham, NC 27703
Amount Secured: $800,000
Project Description: This project aims to improve access to regional transit service in Eastern Wake County in the Towns of Wendell and Zebulon. The project will construct 10 new bus stops to support expanded transit service connecting Eastern Wake County residents with Raleigh as well as community destinations within Wendell and Zebulon. These improvements include bus stops, sidewalk connections, ADA curb ramps, crosswalks, and pedestrian signals. The proposed stops will improve access for existing transit riders and enhance mobility options for residents of a quickly growing part of Wake County. Residents will be better connected to a key regional route that connects emerging job hubs in Wake County, as well as several retail employment destinations, medical services, and affordable housing. Several stops are also located in areas that have been identified as Environmental Justice Communities of Concern.
Signed Disclosure Letter here
Projects Approved for Fiscal Year 2023
Congresswoman Ross secured funding for 15 community projects in the FY 2023 government funding package.
NOTE: The projects are listed alphabetically by Subcommittee.
Project Name: Continuous Operation Body Camera System
Address: 134 N Main St., Fuquay-Varina, NC 27526
Amount Received: $180,000
Project Description: The Town of Fuquay-Varina requests $180,000 through community project funding to supply police officers with continuous operation body camera systems. This funding will enable Fuquay-Varina to purchase improved body-worn camera equipment for Police Officers to enhance safety, transparency, and community trust. The Fuquay-Varina Police Department was an early adopter of body worn cameras in the interest of transparency, officer safety, and accountability. Unfortunately, the first-generation body camera system is reaching the end of support by the manufacturer. Body cameras enhance community safety and trust and are essential for 21st century policing. A new, next generation camera system has been implemented, which provides automated recording (no longer has to be activated by the officer), fully integrates with radio and in-car video systems, and allows for real time monitoring of incidents by command staff. The new system will provide clear and reliable video evidence and no longer require manual intervention by an officer during high stress encounters.
Project Name: Town of Morrisville Solar Panel Installations on Town Facilities
Recipient: Town of Morrisville
Address: 100 Town Hall Drive, Morrisville, NC 27560
Amount Received: $250,000
Request Description: The Town of Morrisville seeks to lead community adoption of sustainable practices and technology by setting the example with Town programs and facilities. Recent examples include development of the Town’s Master Sustainability Plan and installation of solar panels on Morrisville Fire Station 1. The Fire Station 1 project has resulted in a 40% offset of electricity with renewable energy and removal of more than 50,000 pounds of CO2 since April 2021. The Town is requesting $250,000 to complete purchase and installation of solar arrays on three of the Town’s largest energy consuming facilities to reduce the Town’s carbon footprint. The facilities and associated costs are included in the following. The $250,000 request reflects the 50 percent cost share required for a demonstration or commercial application project. (Public Safety & Municipal Services Building, $100,000; Morrisville Aquatics & Fitness Center, $200,000; Morrisville Fire Station 3, $200,000). Installation of panels on these three sites is expected to significantly reduce CO2 emissions, while also saving Morrisville taxpayers an estimated $1 million over the next 30 years through lower operating costs. The Town currently shares sustainability program metrics for the Fire Station 1 project and others with the public through our Open Data Portal. Similar data could be shared for these future solar projects. The physical addresses for the 3 facilities that would have solar panels installed are: Morrisville Aquatics and Fitness Center, 1301 Morrisville Pkwy, Morrisville, NC 27560; Morrisville Public Safety and Municipal Services Building, 260 Town Hall Drive, Morrisville, NC 27560; and Harris Mill Road Fire Station (Morrisville Fire Station 3), 1021 Harris Mill Road, Morrisville, NC 27560.
Project Name: Town of Holly Springs Water Reclamation
Address: 128 South Main St., Holly Springs, N.C. 27540
Amount Requested: $3,000,000
Project Description: The Utley Creek Water Reclamation Facility is nearing capacity due to population and economic growth. The 6 to 8 MGD project will expand the capacity of the plant by adding membrane bioreactors (MBR) to the existing biological nutrient removal process, producing effluent that continues to meet stringent total nitrogen, total phosphorus, orthophosphorus and suspended solids limits. MBR will also produce a higher quality of reclaimed water for uses such as irrigation or industrial processes, minimizing the potable water demand of the community; significantly reduce the energy required to treat, process and distribute water; and enable users to implement critical sustainability initiatives. A new dewatering facility will optimize solids handling as flows to the plant increase, and solar drying beds will be a pathway for creating and distributing Class A biosolids. These innovative and sustainable techniques increase capacity and divert treated wastewater for other reuses in the community. This project is eligible for the Clean Water/Drinking Water State Revolving Fund Intended Use Plan and the Town of Holly Springs will be applying for the SRF loan.
Project Name: Triangle Regional Water Partnership
Address: 224 E. Weatherspoon St., Sanford, N.C. 27330
Amount Received: $3,326,400
Project Description: This project request is for the design and construction of one of two horizontal directional drills (HDD) under the Cape Fear River from the City of Sanford’s Water Treatment Plant (WTP) to provide a safe and resilient source of potable water for local government partners that include Chatham County, Pittsboro, Holly Springs, and Fuquay-Varina. This project is needed to help address the inadequate water supply to serve the recently announced VinFast manufacturing facility, the largest economic development project in North Carolina to date, and to provide a safe water supply for the Town of Pittsboro. In order to provide a reliable water supply and reduce the risk for VinFast and all the local government partners, it is imperative to construct two (2) water transmission lines via HDD under the Cape Fear River. A separate project request for a separate horizontal directional drill was submitted to Rep. Price's office.
Project Name: Grid to Plug to Wheels: Technician Training for Safe and Efficient Electric Vehicle Power Utilization and Maintenance
Recipient: Wake Technical Community College
Address: 9101 Fayetteville Rd., Raleigh, NC 27603
Amount Received: $939,041
Request Description: Wake Technical Community College requests $939,041 in community project funding for Grid to Plug to Wheels: Technician Training for Safe and Efficient Electric Vehicle Power Utilization and Maintenance. This job training program will prepare a next generation workforce of 2-year technicians to build and maintain power supply infrastructure and service electric vehicles. The growing demand for skilled labor in this sector will lead to good careers, greenhouse gas reductions, and consumer savings at the pump. To meet consumer demand, we must have a skilled workforce to safely build and maintain power supply infrastructure and service EVs. Wake County automotive technician jobs are expected to grow 8% by 2026 (EMSI, 2022). Building upon existing cutting-edge programs in applied engineering and automotive systems technologies, Wake Technical Community College is uniquely poised to provide affordable technician training via an enhanced AAS degree program with industry-recognized credentials to repair and build EV charging stations (grid to plug) as well as diagnosing and servicing EVs (plug to wheels). Funds will provide necessary faculty professional development and critical equipment and supplies to serve an estimated 250 students per academic year.
Project Name: Tuttle Public Health Center
Recipient: Saint Augustine’s University
Address: 1315 Oakwood Ave., Raleigh, NC 27610
Amount Received: $490,000
Request Description: St. Augustine's University, a Historically Black University (HBCU), requests $490,000 in community project funding to open its Tuttle Public Health Center (TPHC), which will support health and wellness education, student research regarding the long-term effects of COVID-19, and related programs that will benefit St. Augustine’s students and the surrounding community. Funding will be used to support faculty, establish smart classrooms for students, and purchase research and lab equipment. Meeting the diverse needs of the Wake County, the TPHC will serve as a partner to the Wake County Health Department, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, and its recently established Physician Assistants Program at Grand Valley State University in Grand Rapids, MI. The TPHC will provide education in health delivery services, allied health sciences, and more, which will benefit both students and the underserved Southeast Raleigh communities.
Project Name: Wake County Public Health Center
Recipient: Wake County, NC
Address: 336 Fayetteville St., Suite 1100, Raleigh, NC 27601
Amount Received: $2,000,000
Request Description: Wake County requests $2 million in community project funding for to construct a new Public Health Center. Wake County’s current Public Health Building has been a mainstay for Wake County Public Health since the late 1980s. The facility has served the community well, but due to population growth, changes in how service is delivered, and the inflexibility of the original building design, Wake County is having difficulty providing a high level of service. The County owns property adjacent to its existing Swinburne Social Services building, and this property is sufficient to build a new building and associated parking deck, with connectivity to the Swinburne Center facility so that a cohesive, customer-friendly campus can be provided. The new 151,000 square foot building will house a variety of health clinics, along with pharmacy and lab facilities, as well as ancillary and complimentary social services programs. Wake County Public Health is the safety net clinical provider for uninsured residents. The County’s 11 clinics served approximately 26,000 residents in 2021. Its pharmacy provides approximately 60,000 prescriptions each year, many of which people could not obtain without Wake County Public Health services. The County provides primary care to children and dental care to children and pregnant women, and it also has an abundance of community teams that educate and prevent HIV and STDs, promote healthy living, provide safe routes to school, and provide nutrition counseling for the underserved. Wake County Public Health has cancer prevention and screening programs working with youth to adults and provides many home-visit programs for pregnant mothers as well as new mothers and babies. These programs are reducing mortality in some of the county’s historically marginalized populations.
Project Name: WakeMed Behavioral Health Hospital
Recipient: WakeMed Health & Hospitals
Address: 3000 New Bern Ave., Raleigh, NC 27610
Amount Received: $6,000,000
Request Description: WakeMed Health & Hospitals requests $6 million through community project funding to establish a behavioral health hospital that will help Wake County cope with the rising number of mental health and substance-use cases. The facility will accept all clinically appropriate patients regardless of their ability to pay. It will provide a full continuum of mental health services to adolescents, adults, and geriatric patients and substance-use services to all ages. Federal funding would be used for architectural, engineering, and construction costs for the development of a new in-patient behavioral health hospital to serve the residents of Wake County and the surrounding region. The total estimated cost to construct this new facility is between $60 million and $80 million. The square footage is estimated to be between 85,000 and120,000 square feet, and the total bed count is projected to be between 100 and 125 patient beds. Wake County is seeing more and more severe behavioral health cases: a 25% increase in behavioral-health patients, a 30% increase in suicidal and homicidal cases, and a 68% increase in overdoses. These problems are taxing our hospitals, emergency rooms, EMS, police, courts, jails, and prisons. Wake County is also seeing more homelessness, joblessness, hunger, and fractured families. The COVID-19 pandemic has worsened the crisis. The need for inpatient behavioral health care is urgent. WakeMed’s behavioral health hospital hospital will enable the Wake County community – and its families – to get needed help.
Recipient: Friends of the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences
Address: 11 West Jones Street, Raleigh, NC 27601
Amount Received: $750,000
Request Description: The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences is constructing an Education Center at Prairie Ridge to expand services to significantly increase the number of visitors the facility can accommodate. Designed for easy accessibility, including those with limited pedestrian mobility, families with young children, & school groups--including those from low and moderate income groups--the building will feature three new assets: an indoor classroom, furnished with scientific instruments & teaching tools; universally accessible restroom facilities; & a nature porch. The classroom will be utilized by school groups participating in curriculum-correlated environmental education classes, teachers completing professional development courses, campers attending summer programs, students enrolled in after-school enrichment, & attendees at evening and weekend events. Requested funds will pay to construct & furnish a 2,600 square foot facility that will address goals of enhancing public understanding & appreciation of the natural environment & serving as a model for sustainable practices. This will contribute to economic development by creating an important public amenity along the Blue Ridge Corridor, turning an existing community resource into a year-round ecotourism destination, and fostering the creation of new job positions.
Project Name: Garner Senior Center Facility Improvements
Recipient: Town of Garner
Address: 900 7th Avenue, Garner, NC 27529
Amount Received: $505,200
Request Description: The project will fund capital improvements to enhance safety, increase accessibility and improve functionality of the Garner Senior Center (GSC) which hosts over 42,000 annual visits by Garner-area seniors. The facility also houses Wake County’s largest congregate Meals on Wheels site serving 1,700 monthly meals on-site and is a distribution site for 1,100 monthly delivered meals. Capital improvements to the facility include replacement of aging HVAC systems to improve air handling, renovations to restrooms to improve safety and accessibility, addition of an accessible route to outdoor programing areas of the facility including a newly-created Gardening for Life program funded by a grant from Next50, assessment of other accessibility needs and opportunities, installation of technology to ensure safe user access, enhancements to the kitchen and dining facility to improve congregate meals and food distribution and general facility upgrades to enhance programming.
Project Name: Maynard Road Multifamily Housing
Recipient: Town of Cary
Address: 316 North Academy Street, Cary, NC 27513
Amount Received: $1,000,000
Request Description: The Maynard Road Multifamily Housing is a planned 127-unit housing development that will provide quality, affordable, mixed-income rental units at below-market rents in a prime area of Cary, NC. The development is needed to help address rising housing costs, especially for working class individuals and families, because of booming population growth, employment opportunities, and economic development in Cary over the last 20 years. The requested funds will be used to construct a street to the development. A well designed and integrated street network is the backbone for a viable complete neighborhood. The street will provide safe and convenient access to goods and services throughout the neighborhood and larger community for the residents of the development.
Address: 15 E. Fourth Street, Wendell, NC 27591
Amount Received: $2,000,000
Project Description: The Pleasant Grove Community Center Project is a collaborative partnership with the Pleasant Grove Baptist Church, Town of Wendell, and Wake County to reimagine a future use of the historic African American Carver School. Located at 948 Morphus Bridge Road in Wendell, this site is located within a low-income area near a public housing development and will serve as a focal point of inclusion and opportunity. The community center rehabilitation will provide a space to offer families afterschool, track out, and summer camp programs for their children; job development services; and a business incubator to host the entrepreneurial program, LaunchWENDELL. The Federal funding will be used for community engagement, project design, construction documents, and construction for rehabilitation/renovation of the old Carver Elementary School. The future development of a park and senior housing will be facilitated through town, county and state funding.
Recipient: Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority
Address: 1000 Trade Drive, PO Box 80001, RDU Airport, NC 27623
Amount Received: $5,000,000
Request Description: This project will reconstruct the Taxilane that provides access to the North Cargo aircraft parking apron at Raleigh-Durham International Airport. The funding will be used for construction activities. This Taxilane access is critical to the operation of both FedEx and UPS who provide freight/logistics services to central North Carolina.
Project Name: Tingen Road Bicycle and Pedestrian Bridge Design, Environmental, and Right-of-Way
Recipient: Town of Apex
Address: Town of Apex Planning Department, PO Box 250, Apex, NC 27502
Amount Received: $550,000
Request Description: This request is for study and design of a bicycle and pedestrian bridge over the railroad crossing of Tingen Road in Apex, NC. This at-grade railroad crossing will close as part of the Apex Peakway Southwest Connector project per the Town’s Corridor Project Master Agreement with CSX Transportation (July 2009). Closure will occur once the Apex Peakway Southwest Connector opens, which is anticipated in 2025. Construction of the bicycle and pedestrian bridge will provide a route for the community to safely cross the railroad tracks on Tingen Road. If it is not completed, the railroad crossing will become a barrier. A feasibility study with public involvement will determine scope and cost, design and right-of-way would immediately follow, positioning the Town to pursue construction of the bridge in FY24-25. The project will be located at the intersection of Tingen Road and S. Salem Street in Apex, NC 27502.
Recipient: Research Triangle Regional Public Transportation Authority (GoTriangle)
Address: 4600 Emperor Boulevard, Durham, NC 27703
Amount Received: $900,000
Request Description: This project aims to address critical transit access and transit operation safety concerns at GoTriangle bus stops in Wake County. The project proposes improvements at several locations where the design speed, traffic volumes, constrained right-of-way, and the number of transit passengers necessitate an investment in addition to ADA landing pads and amenities. For example, these improvements include bus bays, sidewalk connections, ADA curb ramps, crosswalks, and pedestrian signals. Proposed locations are distributed throughout the county, benefiting customers on several regional GoTriangle routes. These infrastructure improvements provide enhanced transit accessibility along key regional routes connecting major job hubs in Wake County, as well as several retail employment destinations, medical services, and affordable housing. Several stops are also located in areas that have been identified as Environmental Justice Communities of Concern.
Projects Approved for Fiscal Year 2022
Congresswoman Ross secured funding for 10 community projects in the Fiscal Year 2022 government funding package. Those projects are listed below.
NOTE: The projects are listed alphabetically by Subcommittee.
Subcommittee/Agency/Account: Commerce, Justice, Science/ U.S. Department of Justice/State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance – Byrne Justice Assistance Grants (JAG)
Project Name: Raleigh-Wake City County Bureau of Identification DNA Testing Equipment
Recipient: Raleigh – Wake City/County Bureau of Identification
Address: 3301 Hammond Rd., Raleigh NC 27603
Amount Received: $500,000
Project Description and Explanation: Raleigh-Wake City County Bureau of Identification (CCBI) will purchase the scientific instrumentation necessary to conduct DNA analysis on evidence collected from crime scenes. This will enable CCBI to fulfill DNA requests from the Wake County Justice Center (WCJC) in a timely fashion, more accurately connect individuals with crime scene evidence, better the enforcement of criminal laws, and avert wrongful criminal convictions.
Signed Disclosure Letter: Click Here
Subcommittee/Agency/Account: Financial Services & General Government/Small Business Administration/Small Business Initiative
Project Name: Morrisville Small Business Development Program
Recipient: Town of Morrisville
Address: 100 Town Hall Drive, Morrisville, NC 27560
Amount Received: $300,000
Project Description and Explanation: The funding would be used for financial support and assistance through both grants, incentives, and town provided programs such as events, networking activities, marketing and communication support, and establishment of a database of information to enhance regular and ongoing engagement with this segment of the Morrisville community.
Signed Disclosure Letter:Click Here
Subcommittee/Agency/Account: Homeland Security/FEMA/Federal Assistance (Emergency Operations Center)
Project Name: Wake County Emergency Operations Center
Recipient: County of Wake
Address: 301 S McDowell St., 4th Floor, Raleigh, NC 27601
Amount Received: $1 million
Project Description and Explanation: Wake County has identified a space vacated by another County department that could be renovated as a new EOC at a low cost and mitigate many of the challenges of the existing location. The new location would have adequate staffing space (even if factors like social distancing are needed), room for current technologies to facilitate both internal meetings and communication with news outlets and the public, and access to restrooms and break areas. The flexibility of the space allows for quick set up that is scalable based on the perceived emergency. This project would be a valuable use of taxpayer funds because the basement-level facility Wake County Emergency Management has operated out of since 1988 no longer meets the County’s needs. The County and its emergency situations have grown in number and complexity, and the way in which the County responds has evolved.
Signed Disclosure Letter: Click Here
Subcommittee/Agency/Account: Interior and Environment/Environmental Protection Agency/State and Tribal Assistance (STAG) Grants
Project Name: Swift Creek Stormwater Management and Modeling Program
Recipient: Town of Cary
Address: 316 N Academy St, Cary, NC 27513
Amount Received: $900,000
Project Description and Explanation: The funding would be used for data and advanced watershed analytics to proactively monitor and assess stormwater and floodplain management within the Swift Creek Basin for the benefit of public safety and water quality.
Signed Disclosure Letter:Click Here
Subcommittee/Agency/Account: Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education/Innovation and Improvement/Innovation and Improvement (II)
Project Name: Making Computer Science STICK: Systemic Change for Teachers to Individualize Implementation of CS in K-5
Recipient: North Carolina State University
Address: 1A Holladay Hall, 20 Watauga Club Dr., Raleigh NC 27605
Amount Received: $350,000
Project Description and Explanation: Making CS STICK will create and develop sustainable communities of teachers to support on-going integration of computer science (CS) in elementary education. By the end of the pilot year of the project, Making CS STICK will have implemented a scalable professional development program for K-5 educators, developed locally relevant curricular materials to increase access to computing education in elementary schools, and served 3,000 students. It will also result in a program for the state to leverage, ensuring that ultimately every student in North Carolina has the opportunity to experience computer science regardless of historical stereotypes and institutional barriers. This project would be a valuable use of taxpayer funds because creating a sustainable K-5 computer science education model will engage students at an early age in the opportunities that exist within computer science, help students understand the impact of computer science on our society, and ultimately create a larger, more diversified high-tech workforce for the future of North Carolina.
Signed Disclosure Letter: Click Here
Subcommittee/Agency/Account: Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education/Higher Education/Higher Education (HE)
Project Name: Reach: Serving the Whole Family to Reach Equitable Educational Outcomes
Recipient: Wake Technical Community College
Address: 9201 Fayetteville Rd., Raleigh, NC 27603
Amount Received: $600,000
Project Description and Explanation: Through a collaboration between the North Carolina State University Juntos Program and Wake Technical Community College, Reach will provide targeted academic supports, mentoring, and college pipeline experiences to 660 middle, high school, and college students and their families living in Eastern Wake County to put students on the path to graduation and a living wage. This project would be a valuable use of taxpayer funds because adults living in Wake County who lack higher education credentials are less likely to find employment opportunities paying a living wage. By investing taxpayer funds in targeted educational supports for first generation college students and their families who lag behind their peers in completing high school and college credentials, this project will help not only to create the next generation of the skilled workforce, but also to advance their economic mobility.
Signed Disclosure Letter: Click Here
Subcommittee/Agency/Account: Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development / Department of Housing and Urban Development / Economic Development Initiative
Project Name: South Raleigh Heritage Walk
Recipient: City of Raleigh
Address: 222 West Hargett Street Suite 218, Raleigh, NC 27601
Amount Received: $3 million
Project Description and Explanation: The goal of the South Raleigh Heritage Walk, also known as the “Dix-Chavis Strollway / South Park Heritage Walk,” is to celebrate Raleigh’s rich cultural history while connecting multiple communities on the southeast and southwest sides of the City. In doing so, the City will provide a safe, accessible, multi-modal route to both parks and energize the area through placemaking, interpretive signage, partnerships, and community engagement. The proposed bike and pedestrian route will run by historic neighborhoods, Shaw University (one of two Historically Black Colleges and Universities in Raleigh), the vibrant downtown core, black-owned businesses, the Convention Center, affordable housing areas (including Heritage Park), emerging retail hubs, and areas of new development.
Signed Disclosure Letter: Click Here
Subcommittee/Agency/Account: Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development / Department of Housing and Urban Development / Economic Development Initiative
Project Name: King’s Ridge
Recipient: CASA
Address: 624 West Jones Street, Raleigh, NC 27603
Amount Received: $2 million
Project Description and Explanation: King’s Ridge is a new construction apartment community designed to end homelessness for over 100 Wake County families and individuals. The community is being modeled after other successful public-private partnerships that create permanent, supportive housing across the country, such as Moore Place in Charlotte, where onsite supportive services increase health and stability outcomes for residents. King’s Ridge will include 100 apartments designated for single adults and families who are homeless, focusing on housing those below 30% of AMI ($28,250 for a family of four/$19,800 and below for a single person). The community will include on-site supportive services on the main floor and will incorporate trauma-informed design features. CASA is partnering with Wake County and the City of Raleigh and working collaboratively with more than a dozen supportive service providers to build partnerships specific to King’s Ridge in areas of healthcare and case management.
Signed Disclosure Letter: Click Here
Subcommittee/Agency/Account: Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development / Department of Housing and Urban Development / Economic Development Initiative
Project Name: Town of Garner Streetscape and Parking Improvements on Rand Mill Road
Recipient: Town of Garner
Address: 900 Seventh Avenue, Garner, NC 27529
Amount Received: $1,030,405
Project Description and Explanation: The project is a comprehensive rehabilitation of the intersection of Main Street and Rand Mill Rd. in Downtown Garner, North Carolina. At the intersection and along Main Street, streetscape improvements include: a pedestrian plaza and sidewalk amenities to create a sense of place; grade separation between sidewalk and street at the intersection; pedestrian safety bump-outs to increase visibility at crosswalks; stamped colored asphalt at the intersection and crosswalk to serve as traffic calming; stormwater drainage improvements to prevent flooding; and a 2-story mural of important cultural figures from Garner’s history. South of the intersection, the town will construct a new public parking lot, including 59 new paved parking spots and a communal trash solution for the downtown business owners. The parking lot will transform an underutilized central lot into a productive downtown asset and public investment in this project will catalyze private development in downtown Garner. This project will increase accessibility and capacity for residents and visitors to enjoy the entire downtown.
Signed Disclosure Letter: Click Here
Subcommittee/Agency/Account: Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development / Department of Transportation / Local Transportation Priorities
Project Name: Cary Regional Bus Operations and Maintenance Facility
Recipient: Town of Cary
Address: 316 North Academy Street, Cary, NC 27513
Amount Received: $1 million
Project Description and Explanation: The Wake County Transit Plan includes a new GoCary Bus Operations and Maintenance Facility that will serve as a foundation for the growth of regional mobility options and support the largest planned expansion and improvement in bus service County-wide. It will help connect Cary to all Wake County communities, enhance access to transit, and create frequent, reliable urban transportation options. In addition, the requested appropriation will help Cary meet its sustainability goals by reducing the environmental impact of the proposed 50,000-square foot administration, operations, and maintenance facility. The request would help offset two costs: 1) installing solar panels on the facility grounds to assist with the powering of the building and any electric buses purchased in the future; and 2) installing a green roof to help achieve environmental benefits including reducing stormwater runoff, increasing energy efficiency, and the mitigation of the urban heat island effect.
Signed Disclosure Letter: Click Here