The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NDDOT) recently awarded five short line railroads approximately $2.1 million in matching grant funds through the Freight Rail & Rail Crossing Safety Improvement (FRRCSI) Program.
FRRCSI supports rail infrastructure improvements, enabling NCDOT to partner with rail companies on projects that effectively move freight.
The short line railroads will match the grants for an approximately $4.2 million investment in infrastructure improvements. The projects collectively will support the improvement of 78.2 miles of railroad tracks statewide.
Chesapeake & Albemarle Railroad received $561,248 for rail improvements, track upgrades, and improvements to a rail siding along the mainline in Pasquotank, Chowan and Camden counties.
Carolina Coastal Railway received $525,000 for bridge improvements and track upgrades along the main line and Nash County corridors in Beaufort, Greene, Johnston, Martin, Nash, Pitt, Wake, Warren, Washington, and Wilson counties.
Aberdeen Carolina & Western Railway Co. received $479,600 for drainage system improvements on the Piedmont Division.
Alexander Railroad Co. received $356,000 for rail improvements on their main line corridor.
Charlotte Western Railroad received $174,250 for track upgrades along the mainline.
In December 2022, NCDOT awarded $12 million in grants to 12 short line railroads under the same program.