NCDOT project would improve CSX track

The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) has proposed improving sections of CSX tracks in Scotland and Bladen counties to help alleviate traffic congestion and allow freight-rail transportation to grow.

The NCDOT Rail Division's proposal calls for using a federal grant to improve the tracks to reduce freight-rail delays, improve air quality and lower highway congestion, department officials said in a press release.

Part of a busy freight line between Wilmington and Charlotte, the tracks reduce the number of heavy trucks on state highways, they said.

NCDOT will host a hearing Aug. 31 in Laurinburg to solicit public opinion on the project proposal. Additional details can be viewed on the department's website as they become available.