House Passes More Than $26 Million for Wake County Projects Secured by Congresswoman Ross

Headed to Biden’s desk, funding will bolster health care, affordable housing, public safety, and more across Wake County

December 23, 2022 Press Release

Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the omnibus funding package for Fiscal Year 2023, which includes $26,890,641 in funding for 15 community projects across Wake County secured by Congresswoman Deborah Ross (NC-02). This critical funding will invest in accessible health care, affordable housing, public safety projects, quality education, and more. Passed by both chambers of Congress, this legislation now heads to President Biden’s desk to be signed into law.

“I fought for funding for these essential projects because I know they will make a positive difference in our community,” said Congresswoman Ross. “This week, we put politics aside to invest in the American people. From Raleigh to Wendell, these projects address critical needs in Wake County and represent transformational investments in families, students, seniors, and more. I look forward to President Biden signing this package into law and seeing how these projects will create tangible progress in Wake County.”

Earlier this year, Congresswoman Ross secured $10.7 million in funding for Wake County community projects in the Fiscal Year 2022 government funding package. The 15 projects and funding in the Fiscal Year 2023 package are listed below.

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Project Name: Wake County Public Health Center
Amount Secured: $2,000,000
Description: Wake County will use this funding to construct a new Public Health Center. 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.

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.

Project Name: Wake Tech Electric Vehicle Training
Amount Secured: $939,041
Description: Wake Technical Community College will use this 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.

Project Name: Saint Augustine’s University Tuttle Public Health Center
Amount Secured: $490,000
Description: St. Augustine's University, a Historically Black University (HBCU), will use this 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.

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.

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. 

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.

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-04).

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.

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.

Project Name: North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences Education Center at Prairie Ridge
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.

Project Name: Town of Fuquay-Varina Continuous Operation Body Camera System
Amount Secured: $180,000
Description:  The Town of Fuquay-Varina will use this 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. Body cameras enhance community safety and trust and are essential for 21st century policing.

The Fiscal Year 2023 omnibus funding package also includes:

• A $21 billion increase for veterans’ health care to help with implementation of the PACT Act

• Reform of the Electoral Count Act of 1887, which will help thwart attempts to disrupt the peaceful transfer of power

• Robust funding to provide security, economic, and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine in its fight for freedom and democracy

• Emergency disaster assistance to help victims of hurricanes and wildfires throughout the country

• $72 billion for the Department of Housing and Urban Development to help address the affordable housing crisis, a $6 billion increase above last year’s levels

The package also includes Congresswoman Ross’ legislation, the Unleashing American Innovators Act, critical legislation that will address disparities in the U.S. patent system and expand access to patents for underrepresented communities. The bill will also establish a U.S. Patent Office in the Southeast.

Congresswoman Ross Secures $1 million in Federal Funding for Downtown Garner Improvements

House passes bipartisan legislation to fund the federal government; bill includes Violence Against Women Act reauthorization and measures to support Ukraine, invest in education and job training, and lower costs for the middle class

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Project Sponsor: Town of Garner
Address: 900 Seventh Avenue, Garner, NC 27529
Amount Funded: $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.

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Washington, D.C.— Tonight, the U.S. House of Representatives approved a bipartisan government funding bill, H.R. 2471, which will support our allies abroad and make a positive difference in the lives of North Carolina families and workers. This omnibus package provides funding to create jobs in our state, invest in innovation and medical research in the Triangle, and lower the high cost of childcare, college tuition, and housing. The legislation also allocates security and humanitarian assistance for Ukraine and reauthorizes the Violence Against Women Act.

This spending bill contains many provisions spearheaded by Congresswoman Deborah Ross (NC-02), including more than $10 million in funding for community projects in Wake County. These projects designate federal investments in local universities, affordable housing, transportation, infrastructure, and more.

“I’m incredibly proud to vote for these historic investments in North Carolina as well as additional support for the people of Ukraine in their courageous struggle for freedom,” said Congresswoman Ross. “I fought hard to secure more than $10 million in funding for community projects that will support underserved areas, foster economic development, and make a real difference in the lives of the people of Wake County. This legislation is a testament to the work we can accomplish when we set our partisan differences aside and put the interests of the American people first. From finally reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act and strengthening Pell Grants, to funding security and humanitarian assistance for Ukraine, this legislation tackles the most pressing challenges our nation is facing. I urge my Senate colleagues to swiftly pass the bill and send it to President Biden’s desk.”

Within the legislation, Congresswoman Ross secured funding for 10 Wake County community projects. These include:

• $500,000 for Raleigh/Wake City-County Bureau of Identification DNA Testing Equipment

• $300,000 for Morrisville Small Business Development Program

• $3,000,000 for South Raleigh Heritage Walk

• $1,000,000 for Cary Regional Bus Operations and Maintenance Facility

• $1,030,405 for Town of Garner Streetscape and Parking Improvements on Rand Mill Road

• $2,000,000 for King's Ridge permanent, supportive housing

• $1,000,000 for Wake County Emergency Operations Center

• $900,000 for Town of Cary for Swift Creek Stormwater Management and Modeling Program

• $350,000 for North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC for computer science education

• $600,000 for Wake Technical Community College, Raleigh, NC for college preparation and success initiative

For more information on each of these projects, click here.

The bill also reauthorizes the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), which has been one of Congresswoman Ross’ top priorities since taking office. VAWA makes vital improvements to programs and laws to combat gender-based violence based on extensive consultations with victim service providers, law enforcement, and other experts. This reauthorization includes a Ross-led bill, the Supporting Access to Nurse Exams Act, which addresses the national shortage of Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANEs), who are instrumental in providing medical care to survivors of sexual assault. VAWA also includes a Ross amendment that will fund the creation of databases detailing where these nurses are located, a pressing issue in North Carolina.

The government funding legislation also includes significant investments to: 

• Support the Ukrainian people as they continue to be attacked by Russia. The bill includes $13.6 billion in emergency funding for humanitarian, military, and economy support, as well as measures to help the millions of Ukrainian refugees fleeing the country.

• Reduce costs for working families in America by expanding child care and early learning programs to more working families, investing in America’s K-12 public schools, and making college more affordable. The bill increases the maximum for Pell Grants to $6,895, the largest expansion in more than a decade. It also includes $363 million for Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

• Establish the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) to accelerate the pace of scientific breakthroughs for diseases such as ALS, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, and cancer.

• Create good-paying American jobs, putting North Carolinians to work rebuilding our infrastructure, helping small businesses grow and thrive, fostering the green energy jobs of tomorrow, and supporting high-quality job training. The bill designates $235 million for Registered Apprenticeships and $50 million to continue and expand Strengthening Community College Training Grants. It also includes $8.84 billion for the National Science Foundation (NSF) to support cutting-edge research in the Triangle and beyond.

• Support the vulnerable by meeting Americans basic needs, by strengthening nutrition assistance, and funding more affordable housing. The legislation includes $11 billion for new affordable housing, critical health, safety, and maintenance improvements to ensure the safety and quality of public and low-income housing and community development activities.