NCRR wraps up High Point rail and drainage improvements

The NCRR line through downtown High Point is located within a cut below street level and includes a number of bridges crossing above the tracks. NCRR partnered with the city and Norfolk Southern on improvements to the railroad slopes and the storm water drainage on adjacent streets.

North Carolina Railroad Company

A $5.1-million rail project to perform drainage and rail corridor improvements in High Point, N.C., is complete. The project was a partnership between the city and the North Carolina Railroad Company (NCRR).

NCRR contributed $3.6 million toward the total cost of the project, which was announced in January 2018 and concluded in July.

During the 1930s, the railroad tracks in downtown High Point were lowered to eliminate at-grade crossings and to increase efficiencies on both the roadways and the railroad. Over time, the slopes along the railroad have eroded due to rainfall and storm drainage. The project included slope and track bed improvements to address drainage and appearance issues.

NCRR President Scott Saylor explains that more than 40 Norfolk Southern and Amtrak trains operate daily through High Point using the NCRR line. The improvements in High Point are part of NCRR’s planned upgrades along its 317-mile line, which will total $114 million by the end of 2019.

Keith Pugh, engineering services director for the city of High Point, notes the city’s good working relationship with NCRR and says the city looks forward to exploring additional opportunities where both parties can work to improve the community.