HARRISBURG, NC- Local homeowners have two options - move your house or it will be demolished.

It's for a high speed rail project that's supposed to make the trip to Raleigh faster.

"It's pretty traumatic. All of a sudden to be told where you lived your whole life is going to be completely demolished," said Rick Higgins, Harrisburg resident.

A lifetime of memories for Rick Higgins on Stallings Road in Harrisburg.

His100 year old house and 10 acre lot have been passed down through three generations.

The NC Department of Transportation needs part of the land for a bridge, as it adds high speed rail from Charlotte to Raleigh.

The plan would call for raising Stallings road to meet the high speed rail overpass. That would mean homes would be completely destroyed.

The Higgins say they were first told only one house would be affected.

"We have just heard about this change with the height of the road and changing the road. They've probably known about it for awhile, but they have not made us aware of it," said PJ Higgins.

The Higgins think there's another option that would save eight of the nine homes on the street. They’ve been told they'll receive an offer for from the DOT in the spring.

"I have the option to pick our house up and move it back because I do own the land all the way back to the railroad track. Now, the other neighbors don't have that option," said Higgins.

Like 94 year-old war veteran, Ira Lee Taylor.

Taylor doesn't have land to move his home out of the way.

"I hate to leave this place. But, I've got no say in it myself," said Taylor.

The high speed rail will cost $545 million… paid for in part with federal recovery funds. To qualify for that federal cash, the project must be finished by 2017.