Washington, D.C. —Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a package to partially fund the federal government in Fiscal Year 2023, including $17.3 million in federal funding for Wake County community projects secured by Congresswoman Deborah Ross (NC-02). This funding will invest in affordable housing, transportation and infrastructure systems, water quality, and sustainability efforts in towns and municipalities across Wake County, including Raleigh, Cary, Garner, Morrisville, Wendell, Apex, Holly Springs, and Fuquay-Varina.
“The new funding passed by the House today will bring historic investments to Wake County and make a tangible difference in our communities and in the lives of our people,” said Congresswoman Deborah Ross. “From Raleigh to Holly Springs, these projects reach people and places all over the county. I will continue working with lawmakers from both parties and in both chambers to see these important investments signed into law.”
Earlier this year, Congresswoman Ross submitted 15 community project funding (CPF) requests to the House Appropriations Committee. Today, the House passed H.R. 8294, which includes the 10 community projects listed below. The remaining five projects submitted by Congresswoman Ross have advanced out of the House Appropriations Committee, but have not yet come to the House floor for a vote.
Congresswoman Ross secured more than $10 million in funding for 10 community projects in the Fiscal Year 2022 government funding package as well.
Community Projects
Project Name: GoTriangle Wake County Transit Access and Safety Improvements
Amount Secured: $900,000
Description: This project will address critical transit access and operation safety concerns at GoTriangle bus stops across Wake County. The project will make improvements at several locations where the design speed, traffic volumes, constrained right-of-way, and number of transit passengers require safety and ADA accessibility improvements. 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.
Amount Secured: $900,000
Description: This project will address critical transit access and operation safety concerns at GoTriangle bus stops across Wake County. The project will make improvements at several locations where the design speed, traffic volumes, constrained right-of-way, and number of transit passengers require safety and ADA accessibility improvements. 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.
Project Name: Town of Holly Springs Water Reclamation
Amount Secured: $3,000,000
Description: The Utley Creek Water Reclamation Facility is nearing capacity due to population and economic growth. This project will employ innovative and sustainable techniques to increase capacity and divert treated wastewater for other reuses in the community.
Amount Secured: $3,000,000
Description: The Utley Creek Water Reclamation Facility is nearing capacity due to population and economic growth. This project will employ innovative and sustainable techniques to increase capacity and divert treated wastewater for other reuses in the community.
Project Name: Triangle Regional Water Partnership
Amount Secured: $3,326,400
Description: This project will help address the inadequate water supply intended 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. The funding will be used to construct one of two horizontal directional drills under the Cape Fear River from the City of Sanford’s Water Treatment Plant, which will provide a safe and resilient source of potable water for local government partners that include Chatham County, Pittsboro, Holly Springs, and Fuquay-Varina. Congresswoman Ross secured this funding with Congressman David Price (NC-06).
Description: This project will help address the inadequate water supply intended 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. The funding will be used to construct one of two horizontal directional drills under the Cape Fear River from the City of Sanford’s Water Treatment Plant, which will provide a safe and resilient source of potable water for local government partners that include Chatham County, Pittsboro, Holly Springs, and Fuquay-Varina. Congresswoman Ross secured this funding with Congressman David Price (NC-06).
Project Name: Maynard Road Multifamily Housing in Cary
Amount Secured: $1,000,000
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, North Carolina. The development is needed to help address rising housing costs, especially for low-income individuals and families, because of booming population growth, employment opportunities, and economic development in Cary over the last 20 years. The funding 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.
Amount Secured: $1,000,000
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, North Carolina. The development is needed to help address rising housing costs, especially for low-income individuals and families, because of booming population growth, employment opportunities, and economic development in Cary over the last 20 years. The funding 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.
Project Name: Garner Senior Center Facility Improvements
Amount Secured: $505,200
Description: The project will 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. Improvements to the facility include replacement of aging HVAC systems to improve air handling, renovations to restrooms to improve safety and accessibility, the addition of an accessible route to outdoor programing areas of the facility, installation of technology to ensure safe user access, enhancements to the kitchen and dining facility to improve food distribution, and other general facility upgrades.
Project Name: Pleasant Grove Community Center in Wendell
Amount Secured: $2,000,000
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. 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; job development services; and a business incubator to host the entrepreneurial program, LaunchWENDELL. This funding will be used for community engagement, project design, construction documents, and the rehabilitation of the old Carver Elementary School.
Amount Secured: $2,000,000
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. 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; job development services; and a business incubator to host the entrepreneurial program, LaunchWENDELL. This funding will be used for community engagement, project design, construction documents, and the rehabilitation of the old Carver Elementary School.
Project Name: Raleigh-Durham International Airport North Cargo Taxilane Reconstruction
Amount Secured: $5,000,000
Description: This project will reconstruct the Taxilane that provides access to the North Cargo aircraft parking apron at Raleigh-Durham International Airport. This Taxilane access is critical to the operation of both FedEx and UPS, which provide freight and logistics services to central North Carolina.
Amount Secured: $5,000,000
Description: This project will reconstruct the Taxilane that provides access to the North Cargo aircraft parking apron at Raleigh-Durham International Airport. This Taxilane access is critical to the operation of both FedEx and UPS, which provide freight and logistics services to central North Carolina.
Project Name: Tingen Road Bicycle and Pedestrian Bridge Design in Apex
Amount Secured: $550,000
Description: This funding will be used for the study and design of a bicycle and pedestrian bridge over the railroad crossing of Tingen Road in Apex, North Carolina. This railroad crossing is expected to close 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.
Amount Secured: $550,000
Description: This funding will be used for the study and design of a bicycle and pedestrian bridge over the railroad crossing of Tingen Road in Apex, North Carolina. This railroad crossing is expected to close 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.
Recipient: North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences
Amount Secured: $750,000
Description: The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences will use this funding to construct an Education Center at Prairie Ridge, which will expand services to significantly increase the number of visitors the facility can accommodate. Designed for easy accessibility, including for those with limited pedestrian mobility, families with young children, and school groups, the building will feature three new assets: an indoor classroom, furnished with scientific instruments and teaching tools; universally accessible restroom facilities; and a nature porch. This funding 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 jobs.
Amount Secured: $750,000
Description: The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences will use this funding to construct an Education Center at Prairie Ridge, which will expand services to significantly increase the number of visitors the facility can accommodate. Designed for easy accessibility, including for those with limited pedestrian mobility, families with young children, and school groups, the building will feature three new assets: an indoor classroom, furnished with scientific instruments and teaching tools; universally accessible restroom facilities; and a nature porch. This funding 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 jobs.
Project Name: Town of Morrisville Solar Panel Installations on Town Facilities
Amount Secured: $250,000
Description: The Town of Morrisville wants to lead community adoption of sustainable practices and technology. The Town will use $250,000 in funding to purchase and install solar arrays on three of the Town’s largest energy consuming facilities to reduce its carbon footprint. The facilities include the Morrisville Aquatics and Fitness Center, Public Safety and Municipal Services Building, and Harris Mill Road Fire Station.
Amount Secured: $250,000
Description: The Town of Morrisville wants to lead community adoption of sustainable practices and technology. The Town will use $250,000 in funding to purchase and install solar arrays on three of the Town’s largest energy consuming facilities to reduce its carbon footprint. The facilities include the Morrisville Aquatics and Fitness Center, Public Safety and Municipal Services Building, and Harris Mill Road Fire Station.
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