Press release from N.C. Department of Transportation
The North Carolina Ports Authority and 13 short line railroads will be improving their rail infrastructure thanks to approximately $10.9 million in matching grant funds being awarded as part of the N.C. Department of Transportation’s Freight Rail and Rail Crossing Safety Improvement program (FRRCSI).
FRRCSI supports rail infrastructure health, safety and performance throughout the state, enabling NCDOT to partner with rail companies on improvement projects to effectively move freight. This partnership helps railroads efficiently meet customer needs in cost-effective ways while preparing them for growing service demands and partnerships with new businesses and industries.
The awarded grants are matched with railroad investments to contribute more than $21.7 million in rail infrastructure improvements statewide. Together, these projects will upgrade more than 12 miles of railroad track and 35 bridges in North Carolina.
The funds awarded in WNC are as follows:
- Caldwell County Railroad: $73,125 for track alignment improvements, and track and crosstie upgrades (Catawba, Burke, Caldwell counties)
- Great Smoky Mountains Railroad: $921,950 for bridge improvements, track, rail and crosstie upgrades (Swain, Jackson, Macon, Cherokee counties)
- Thermal Belt Railway: $102,050 for rail and crossties upgrades and track alignment improvements (Rutherford County)
The Freight Rail and Rail Crossing Safety Improvement Program was established in 2013 by the General Assembly.
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