The North Carolina Department of Transportation’s (NCDOT) Freight Rail and Rail Crossing Safety Improvement program recently awarded approximately $10.2 million in matching grant funds to 12 short line railroads and the North Carolina Ports Authority to improve their rail infrastructure.
The projects total $20.4 million statewide, and grants were awarded between $390,000 and $4.5 million.
Established in 2013, the program supports rail infrastructure health, safety, and performance. It
enables NCDOT to partner with rail companies on improvement projects.
The Blue Ridge Southern Railroad was awarded $4.5 million for four projects to upgrade railroad crossings, track, and bridges in Haywood, Buncombe, Henderson, and Jackson counties.
The RJ Corman Railroad Co. was awarded $2.5 million to upgrade crossings and track in Columbus and Horry counties.
The Carolina Coastal Railway was awarded $2.2 million to improve bridges and track in Beaufort, Greene, Johnston, Martin, Nash, Pitt, Wake, Washington, and Wilson counties.
The Great Smoky Mountains Railroad was awarded $1.9 million to upgrade railroad track and bridges and raise the track bed in Jackson and Swain counties.
The Chesapeake & Albemarle Railroad was awarded $1.9 million to build a transload facility with upgraded turnouts in Pasquotank County and upgrade railroad track and improve bridges in Currituck and Camden counties.