CHARLOTTE – Transportation agencies gathered in Charlotte today to celebrate the completion of the Sugar Creek Road grade separation, a project designed to improve efficiency, safety and mobility in one of the state’s busiest rail corridors.
The project was part of a series of upgrades in the Raleigh-to-Charlotte portion of the North Carolina Railroad Company's line. Because of the number of daily trains and vehicles that use it. the Sugar Creek railroad crossing was the busiest in the state. This rail corridor currently sees more than 40 Norfolk Southern Railway freight trains and 10 passenger trains per day. The bridge also crosses over the newly completed CATS Blue Line.
"This project is going to improve safety for drivers and those on foot or bicycle, and also help keep traffic and trains moving efficiently through this busy area," said N.C. Department of Transportation Chief Deputy Secretary David Howard, who offered remarks during today's event. “We’re grateful to our partners for investing in North Carolina’s safety and economy.”
A grade separation project replaces a railroad crossing with a bridge. The benefits of a grade separation are improved safety by eliminating the possibility of collisions between vehicles and trains, and improved mobility in the area through the uninterrupted flow of vehicle, pedestrian and bicycle traffic.
The project was funded by the City of Charlotte, the North Carolina Railroad Company, Norfolk Southern, the Federal Railroad Administration and the N.C. Department of Transportation.
“This was the busiest crossing along the 317-mile North Carolina Railroad line, and the positive impact this improvement will have on crossing safety is tremendous,” said Scott Saylor, president of the North Carolina Railroad Company. “We are proud to collaborate with NCDOT on this project, which plays such a significant role in the future capacity needs of freight and Amtrak passenger service.”