The Federal Railroad Administration has awarded a nearly $300 million grant to North Carolina’s Department of Transportation.

For nearly two years, residents of Tryon and Saluda have had to take a detour that some say has left them feeling isolated and taken a toll on local businesses.

North Carolina's Department of Transportation has only a fraction of the funding it needs to cover road construction and maintenance. Transportation Secretary Daniel Johnson told WUNC News his agency has to prioritize $144 billion in requests from local leaders, including everything from new turn lanes to new interstate highways.

Transportation officials are hoping the project — one of the most expensive in state history — will lead the crucial highway to a more resilient future.

The holiday marks the opening of many campgrounds, picnic areas and visitor centers along the Parkway. But there are still a number of maintenance and road projects underway, many related to Hurricane Helene repairs.

Officials say the Siemens Mobility plant will create more than 500 jobs in Lexington.

After years of study, the Winston-Salem Transit Authority presented its proposed route network changes to the city council on Monday. They were approved unanimously.

The North Carolina Department of Transportation is beginning bridge replacement projects in Alamance, Surry and Yadkin counties.

With the average price of gasoline at about $3.90 a gallon in the Piedmont Triad, some commuters are feeling the pinch.

The project is already in the federal government’s pipeline. The big question now is how local governments will fund their part of it.