NCDOT infuses rail improvement program with $10M boost

NCDOT

The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) Rail Division has allotted an additional $10 million toward the Freight Rail and Rail Crossing Safety Improvement program for fiscal year 2017.

State officials say they expedited the project selection process because many of the relevant projects would cater to railroads damaged by flooding related to the recent Hurricane Matthew.

“These investments will enhance safety and improve rail infrastructure connections to economic development opportunities,” said Rail Director Paul Worley. “Both of these priorities satisfy goals outlined in [North Carolina] Gov. [Patrick] McCrory’s 25-Year Vision for Transportation in North Carolina.” 

Legislation signed into law by Gov. McCrory in 2013 established the Freight Rail and Rail Crossing Safety Improvement Program. Representatives say the new funding brings the total program budget to $13.75 million for the fiscal year.

Four shortline improvement projects were chosen to receive funding, with half of the funds coming from state budgets and half allocated from private investments:

• $1.7 million will go toward upgrades to bridges in Wake, Nash, Wilson and Beaufort counties and to replace more than 10,000 crossties along 31 miles of track in Wake, Johnston, Nash and Wilson counties. The project will also entail rail roadbed and crosstie replacement work to accommodate heavier railcars in key areas
• $7.3 million has been committed to returning a section of railroad to service in Columbus County between Chadbourn and Whiteville, with other track upgrades scheduled from Chadbourn to Tabor City and into South Carolina to connect the line to the national rail system
• Officials have allotted $725,000 to replace five culverts and harden the railroad throughout 29 miles in Currituck, Camden and Pasquotank counties
• $393,594 has been committed to build a new truck/train transload facility in Hoke County and to replace crossties and harden the railroad along eight miles in Cumberland and Hoke counties

Officials also approved $1 million to go toward a safety improvement project in Salisbury, N.C., that is intended to speed up the elimination of a highway/rail at-grade crossing at Henderson Grove Church Road by developing the right-of-way plans for a more efficient access roadway to Julian Road.