The N.C. Department of Transportation’s Rail Division will hold an informal design public hearing on Monday, Dec. 5 regarding proposed track and rail crossing improvements between Salisbury and Kannapolis.
The 11-mile stretch of second track is a part of the Raleigh to Charlotte Piedmont Improvement Program and is proposed along the North Carolina Railroad and Norfolk Southern Railway.
The informal, open-house style public meeting will be held from 6-8 p.m. at the Kannapolis Passenger Station (Amtrak Meeting Room), located at 201 S. Main St.
NCDOT representatives will be available to answer questions and receive comments about the proposed project. The opportunity to submit written comments and/or questions will also be provided and is encouraged. Interested citizens may attend at any time. There will not be a formal presentation.
The proposed project would include the construction of an additional track mostly on the west side of the existing track from south of Salisbury to Kannapolis. Three new bridges are also proposed to separate automobile and train traffic at Peeler Road, Kimball Road Extension and 24th Street Extension. The proposed improvements will begin approximately one mile north of Peach Orchard Road and will extend to south of East 18th Street in Kannapolis.
The construction will improve train reliability by allowing passenger and freight trains to quickly and efficiently move around each other, aid in future growth of train traffic, and provide railroad tracks that will be able to support higher speeds.
Additionally, replacing selected railroad crossings with new bridges built either over or under the road and improving or removing other crossings will reduce the risk of vehicle/train collisions, improve safety for vehicle and rail passengers, reduce vehicle and train traffic congestion, and reduce train horn noise.
The environmental assessment document (EA) prepared for this project and a copy of the map is available for review at the NCDOT, District 1 Engineer’s Office, located at 4770 S. Main St. in Salisbury.
For more information, contact Eileen Fuchs of NCDOT-Human Environment at (919) 707-6067 or via email at: eafuchs@ncdot.gov.
NCDOT will provide auxiliary aids and services under the Americans with Disabilities Act for disabled persons who want to participate in this workshop. Anyone requiring special services should contact Fuchs as early as possible so that arrangements can be made.