This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
7/25/2024
The North Carolina Department of Transportation’s (NCDOT) Rail Division announced the award of $1.8 million in state grant funding for projects designed to improve rail infrastructure on three short lines.
The $1.8 million share for the rail projects is provided through the NCDOT's Freight Rail and Rail Crossing Safety Improvement program. It will match equal investments from several railroad companies.
The projects will improve three railroad bridges and 18 miles of track in North Carolina. The investments will help reduce highway traffic congestion by diverting freight to rail, state officials said in a press release.
Each rail improvement project will be paid for with 50-50 matching funds from the state and private railroad companies. The three short lines, their state grant awards and projects are:
• Aberdeen Carolina and Western Railway, $762,148 in funding for track and bridge upgrades, and construction of rail sidings and transloading infrastructure along the Piedmont and Sandhills divisions;
• Alexander Railroad Co., $338,320 for track upgrades on the mainline rail corridor; and
• R.J. Corman Railroad Co., $666,764 for corridor improvements to the Conway and Mullins branches.
“These projects improve the safe and efficient transit of freight, while safeguarding the viability of our statewide freight-rail network,” said NCDOT Rail Director Jason Orthner.