North Carolina DOT releases summary of draft rail plan

The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) expects to release a draft of the "North Carolina Comprehensive State Rail Plan" next month. In anticipation of the release, the department has issued the plan's executive summary.

The plan covers the passenger- and freight-rail implementation portion of the governor's 25-year transportation vision plan and feeds into the Draft State Transportation Improvement Plan that was released Dec. 4, NCDOT officials said in a press release.

Department officials believe the executive summary's release will provide the public an opportunity to preview NCDOT's vision for the state’s rail system, and supporting goals and policies aimed at improving the rail network. In addition, the summary reviews programs managed by the department and how they work with other government and private-sector programs to deliver a more comprehensive set of rail services; provides an inventory of the state’s rail system; cites trends, markets and needs; identifies prioritized passenger- and freight-rail corridors; and reviews future improvements and assesses funding options.

A 30-day public comment period will follow the draft plan's release in January. NCDOT then will review and address all comments, and make any necessary plan revisions. The department anticipates final approval of the plan in June 2015.