North Carolina wraps up Sugar Creek Road grade separation project

North Carolina Railroad Co., North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) and local officials gathered yesterday in Charlotte to mark the completion of the Sugar Creek Road grade separation, a project designed to improve the safety of one of the state's busiest rail corridors.

The project — which involved construction of a bridge on Sugar Creek Road — was part of a series of upgrades in the Raleigh-to-Charlotte portion of the North Carolina Railroad's line. The Sugar Creek crossing was the busiest in the state, due to the number of daily trains and vehicles that use it, NCDOT officials said in a press release.

Currently, more than 40 Norfolk Southern Railway trains and 10 passenger trains use the rail corridor daily. The bridge also crosses over the Charlotte Area Transit System's newly completed Blue Line.

"This project is going to improve safety for drivers and those on foot or bicycle, and also help keep traffic and trains moving efficiently through this busy area," said NCDOT  Chief Deputy Secretary David Howard.

The $43 million project was funded by the city of Charlotte, North Carolina Railroad, NS, the Federal Railroad Administration and NCDOT.

"This was the busiest crossing along the 317-mile North Carolina Railroad line, and the positive impact this improvement will have on crossing safety is tremendous,” said Scott Saylor, president of North Carolina Railroad.