North Carolina Construction News staff writer
North Carolina has been awarded $300 million in federal funding to improve safety, reliability and capacity along the Piedmont passenger rail corridor between Raleigh and Charlotte.
A grant from the Federal Railroad Administration will fund the Piedmont Corridor Safety Program, including upgrades to the route used by Amtrak’s Piedmont and Carolinian services.
“This federal investment demonstrates our partners’ confidence in North Carolina’s ability to deliver major rail projects,” N.C. Transportation Secretary Daniel Johnson said in a statement. “We thank the Federal Railroad Administration, Amtrak, the North Carolina Railroad Company and Norfolk Southern for supporting this important project to modernize and improve safety and travel times along the route between Raleigh and Charlotte.”
The project will include the closure of six at-grade railroad crossings in Guilford County and construction of two new highway bridges. In Durham County, three crossings will be closed and two new highway bridges will be built.
The project also includes six miles of new second track and other infrastructure improvements in Guilford, Durham and Wake counties.
The additional track is expected to increase capacity and help reduce delays for both passenger and freight trains.
The state also plans to establish an anti-trespassing program along the corridor.
“Investments in North Carolina’s rail infrastructure support our state’s growing population and economy,” Gov. Josh Stein said. “This federal investment will make passenger rail safer and more reliable, reduce delays, and improve connectivity from Raleigh to Charlotte.”
Eliminating at-grade crossings will separate trains from vehicles and pedestrians, reducing the risk of collisions while allowing trains to move more efficiently through the corridor.
The grant is part of a $5.3 billion nationwide investment announced by the U.S. Department of Transportation for rail safety, infrastructure modernization and passenger rail improvements.
The N.C. Department of Transportation said additional details on the project schedule and individual improvements will be released as planning and design work advances.