Railroad connector should lessen traffic jams

Written by jrood

Traffic back-ups on Arlington Boulevard and on Howell and 14th streets in Greenville, N.C., should decrease when it becomes easier for trains to pass through those areas later this year, the Greenville Daily Reflector reports. Construction on a new connector railroad track near the intersection of 14th and Beatty streets should begin at the end of September, according to Greenville Public Works Director Wes Anderson.

Trains travel north or
south and have to stop and disassemble train cars before they can change course
and travel east or west, Anderson said. This can happen up to three times
daily, sometimes blocking Arlington Boulevard, Howell and 14th streets
simultaneously. The connector will enable trains to simply turn, moving through
the rail yard quickly. Construction should be complete by the end of the
calendar year, he said.

The entire rail yard will
eventually be relocated north of the city, off N.C. 903. Building the connector
is only a temporary fix, but it’s expected to alleviate 75 percent of the
traffic problem, Anderson said.

City staff has been
working to coordinate three different railroads and funding for years to bring
this project to fruition. The city is partnering with the N.C. Department of
Transportation, CSX Transportation, Carolina Coastal Railway and the Norfolk
Southern. Four meetings were held last year to get feedback from city and
county officials, as well as the public, according to a news release from N.C.
DOT.

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