Improvements Made to Rail Crossings in Hoke County

RALEIGH—The N.C. Department of Transportation has installed crossing signals and gates at two intersections of the Aberdeen & Rockfish Railroad (A&R) tracks in Hoke County.

The first set of gates was installed at Saunders Road (State Road 1315) near Raeford. The $178,104 project was paid for with 90 percent federal funds and 10 percent funds from NCDOT. A&R and NCDOT will split the cost to maintain the crossing. 

In addition, crossing signals and gates were installed in McCain, where the A&R tracks intersect with Army Road (S.R.1219). This $177,325 project was paid for with 90 percent federal funds and 10 percent funds from NCDOT. As with the Saunders Road crossing, maintenance will be split between the railroad and NCDOT.

Up to two freight trains travel through these crossings daily at speeds up to 25 miles per hour.

Theses two Hoke County projects are part of a comprehensive statewide program to enhance highway safety by adding or improving signals and gates at public railroad crossings. Mechanical warning devices are now in place at nearly 2,400 of North Carolina's 4,182 public crossings.

***NCDOT***