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Memorandum To: James A. Smailes, P.E., Federal Railroad Administration

From: Mitch Eaton, Highway/Railroad Traffic Separation Engineer

Subject:Quarterly Report # 14, North Carolina Sealed Corridor
Project: TIP Project No. P-3419; Next Generation High Speed Rail Grant

The North Carolina Department of Transportation has completed the following tasks as part of the Sealed Corridor project since our last report to you in October 1999:

  • The plans for the remaining long gate arm locations continue to be submitted to Norfolk Southern. Plans for Scientific St. in High Point, Mt. Hope Church Rd. near China Grove, Turner St. in Thomasville, Peach Orchard Rd. near Salisbury, and Platt Leggett Rd. near Spencer were submitted to the railroad on November 22, 1999. The Turner Rd. location was resubmitted to the railroad for the inclusion of train detection circuit lengthening and constant warning time devices. The crossing signal masts, lights, and gates at the Scientific St. location will be updated with new crossing signal equipment.
  • The Rail Division has proposed to close the Bristol St. and Pond St. crossings in the City of Lexington. On November 10, 1999 the Rail Division sent a letter to the City Engineer discussing the benefits of closure the two crossings. Items addressed included the easy access for the surrounding communities to two grade separated crossings over the tracks near the proposed closures, the dangerous geometrics of the two crossings, the reduction in signal maintenance costs the City must pay to the railroad, and the ability for the Rail Division to apply incentives to the City in exchange for closure of the crossings. The City Engineer stated that he will need to take the proposal before the Mayor, City Manager, and City Council, and the Rail Division is still awaiting their comments to the proposal.
  • The Rail Division has proposed to the City of High Point to study the possible consolidation of the Taylor Ave., West Point Ave., and W. Grimes Ave. crossings into one newer and safer crossing. On November 15, 1999 representatives from the Rail Division, NCDOT Highway Division 7, and Norfolk Southern Railway met with the City to discuss the proposed study of the crossings. The location of the crossings is in an older, industrialized area of High Point, and the City was concerned about the impacts to industrial and emergency traffic accessing the area. The Rail Division plans to use a consulting engineering firm to conduct a feasibility study for the area, and supply various alternatives with cost estimates and projected impacts if the crossings were consolidated. Because a new Mayor was elected and has taken office after the meeting took place, the City Transportation Engineer stated that he will need to brief him on the proposed project and receive his concurrence before committing, and the Rail Division is still awaiting their comments to the proposal.
  • The Rail Division has been corresponding with Recycled Technology, Inc., manufacturers of a portable median barrier similar to the Qwick Kurb median barrier, but uses tubular delineators instead of flat panels. The Rail Division plans to test the durability and maintenance of the product at three locations. The Rail Division has arranged with the NCDOT New Products Committee to test the product for one year. If the product is successful, it will be included on the NCDOT's approved products list and can competitively bid on future projects with Qwick Kurb. Several other state agencies have inquired on the Rail Division's testing of the Recycled Technology median barrier and have requested to be kept apprised of the testing results.
  • Authorization for construction of the four-quadrant gate system at the E. 36th Street location in Charlotte was given on October 10, 1999. The four-quadrant gates at Prospect Road in High Point were cut-in on December 4, 1999. The S. Elm St. crossing in Greensboro, Prospect St. in Lexington, NC-109 in Thomasville, and Fisher Ferry Rd. in Thomasville are currently under construction by the railroad, and construction on the McGill Ave. location in Concord will commence upon completion of the previous four. The Hoskins Street crossing in High Point and the Ragsdale-Dillon Rd. four-quadrant gate treatments are currently under design. The design on four-quadrant gates at the Universal Street crossing in Kannapolis is temporarily on hold. until it is determined whether or not the roadway needs to be widened at the crossing.
  • The Back Creek Church Rd. crossing near Charlotte is being evaluated for widening of the roadway due to the increase of traffic using the crossing from new residential development in the area. The crossing lies about 100 feet from the intersection of Back Creek Church Rd. with NC-49, which has been widened to 5 lanes. Part of the project to widen NC-49 also widened Back Creek Church Rd. at the highway-intersection side of the crossing, but on the other side of the crossing the roadway was not improved. The crossing has already been treated with Qwick Kurb median barriers, but it is proposed to replace the portable median barriers with concrete monolithic barrier islands if the roadway is widened. Tubular delineators would then be affixed atop of the concrete islands.
  • As part of project R-2533A that will widen NC Highway 49 east of Charlotte, the Rail Division is working with the Division of Highway's Roadway Design Unit to design and construct concrete monolithic barrier islands at the Shamrock Road. The Roadway Design Unit has investigated the feasibility of putting concrete islands at the Pharr Mill Road crossing and has determined that the geometrics of the roadway prevent the use of median barriers. The crossing lies too close to an intersection with NC-49 to allow the design of a concrete monolithic barrier island with an effective length. The crossing will instead be treated with long gate arms.
  • The Rail Division has started the engineering for the seven crossings on the Phase III of Sealed Corridor on CSX Transportation's railroad between Fetner Junction in Cary and Boylan Street in Raleigh. Because much of the crossing signal equipment on Phase III is older and out-dated, the designs will include upgrades to current CSX Transportation signal equipment. The crossing treatments will also include Rail Impact treatments such as train-detection circuit lengthening and constant warning time devices.
  • The municipal agreement between the NCDOT Rail Division and the City of Greensboro for the construction of the connector road that will eliminate the Rail St., Rucker St., and Boston Rd. crossings is near completion. The City and Rail Division have conducted a public meeting to explain the project and provide information to concerned citizens on the purpose of the project. Public response for the connector road and closure of the three crossings upon its completion has been supportive, and many citizens wish the completion of the project to be expedited.
  • On January 6, 2000 the Rail Division met with members of the Federal Railroad Administration in Charlotte to visit different Sealed Corridor treated crossings. The purpose of the site visits was to allow FRA to obtain video footage of the devices in operation for a press release on the proposed locomotive horn rulemaking on rail corridors. Locations visited included the four-quadrant gates and median barriers at Sugar Creek Rd. in Charlotte, four-quadrant gates at Craighead Rd. in Charlotte, long gate arms at Orr Rd. in Charlotte, and the CLEAR Video Ticketing cameras at the Henderson St. crossing in Salisbury.
  • The Town of Elon College has executed the municipal agreement for closure of the crossing at Antioch Ave. and improvements to the roadway at the N. Oak Ave. crossing. This work is in addition to the agreement for the extension of Trollinger Ave. to intersect with Church St., which will enable the closure of the Holt Ave. crossing and channel traffic to the Church St. crossing.
  • As per recommendations from the South-End Traffic Separation Study, the Meisenheimer Dr. crossing in Kannapolis and Elm St. crossing in China Grove were both closed on November 8, 1999. Also, two feasibility studies are currently being conducted to determine potential grade-separated structure locations in Landis and Kannapolis. Another feasibility study is currently being conducted in Kannapolis to study the impact of realigning Winecoff School Rd. to intersect with Mt. Olivet Rd. This would relocate the Winecoff School Rd. crossing approximately 1200 feet north of its current location and provide a four-way intersection with Winecoff School Rd., Mt. Olivet Rd., and S. Ridge Ave.
  • As per recommendations from the South-End Traffic Separation Study, the environmental study for the realignment of NC-152 is being scoped with the consulting engineering firm to determine necessary environmental impacts to address and deliverable schedules. The Rail Division and Town of China Grove have entered into a Municipal Agreement for the project, which will eliminate a dog-leg intersection between NC-152, E. Church St., and US-29A, and allow the closure of the E. Liberty St. and Chapel St. crossings.

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