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The North Carolina Board of Transportation recently awarded more than $2 million in Short Line Infrastructure Assistance Program grants to 11 short lines.

The program provides funds to the state’s 21 short lines to help pay for infrastructure improvements.

“The investments we make to improve and maintain our rail infrastructure are incentive for industries to locate or expand in our state,” said N.C. Transportation Secretary Lyndo Tippett in a prepared statement.

The state granted:
• $499,000 to the Aberdeen Carolina & Western Railway for a $999,800 track repair project between Charlotte and Oakboro (29.4 miles);
• $384,000 to the Yadkin Valley Railroad for a $768,000 track repair project near Rural Hall;
• $294,400 to the Aberdeen & Rockfish Railroad for a $588,800 track repair project between Laurinburg and Raeford (17.3 miles);
• $250,000 and $46,250 to the Carolina Coastal Railway for a $500,000 track and rail bridge repair project between Raleigh and Plymouth (138 miles), and $92,500 mainline and bridge upgrade project between Pinetown and Belhaven (17 miles), respectively;
• $233,720 to Nash County Railroad for a $467,440 track repair project between Rocky Mount and Nashville;
• $115,422 to the Laurinburg & Southern Railroad for a $230,844 track repair project in the Laurinburg area (five miles);
• $65,000 to Alexander Railroad for a new $130,000 passing track to serve the Alexander Industrial park;
• $55,000 to Caldwell County Railroad for a $110,000 track and bridge repair project between Lenoir and Hickory;
• $50,000 to Carolina Southern Railway for a $100,000 track repair project between Chadbourn and Fair Bluff (14.5 miles);
• $27,308 to the Wilmington Terminal Railroad for a $54,616 track surfacing and repair project in the Wilmington area; and
• $20,000 to the Atlantic & Western Railway for a $40,000 track repair and upgrade project between Sanford and Cumnock (6.4 miles).