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The North Carolina Department of Transportation’s (NCDOT) Rail Division, Norfolk Southern Railway and North Carolina Railroad Co. (NCRR) recently partnered to complete grade crossing upgrades in three counties.

A $1 million project called for revising signals and installing gates at Craven County crossings in and near Cove City, near New Bern and near James City. The state covered 55.7 percent of project costs, with NCRR providing 24.3 percent and NS, 20 percent of necessary funds. Maintenance expenses will be divided equally between NS and NCDOT.

A $994,340 project, which also included signal revisions and gate installations, involved Lenoir County crossings in La Grange, and in and near Kinston. Project funding was similarly divided, with 55.7 percent coming from NCDOT, 24.3 percent from NCRR and 20 percent from NS. Maintenance costs will be divided equally between NS and the municipalities.

Finally, a $268,000 project that also included signal revisions and gate installations was completed at a NS crossing near Newport in Carteret County. Project funding was split the same three ways, and maintenance expenses will be covered equally between NS and NCDOT.

The projects are part of a NCDOT program aimed at enhancing public crossing safety by adding or improving signals and gates. Automatic warning devices now are in place at more than 2,400 of the state’s 4,100 public crossings.