RALEIGH – Multiple short line railroads will be improving their rail infrastructure thanks to approximately $12 million in grant funds being awarded by the N.C. Department of Transportation.

The matching grants come from the department’s Freight Rail and Rail Crossing Safety Improvement Program. The program 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 Freight Rail and Rail Crossing Safety Improvement Program was established in 2013 by the N.C. General Assembly.

The awarded grants are matched with railroad investments to contribute approximately $24 million in rail infrastructure improvements statewide. Together, these projects will support improvements to 52 railroad bridges and nearly 123 miles of railroad track in North Carolina.

The grant funds awarded included Aberdeen Carolina and Western Railway for $3,563,324 for bridge improvements, siding construction, and track upgrades on the mainline corridor (Cabarrus, Mecklenburg, Montgomery, Moore and Stanly counties).