April 1, 1998

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

From: Mitch Eaton, Highway/Railroad Traffic Separation Engineer

Subject: Quarterly Report # 7, North Carolina Sealed CorridorProject: 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 January, 1998:

• The NCDOT Rail Division continues to negotiate a Master Agreement for the Sealed Corridor Project with Norfolk Southern.
• Base-line data for the CLEAR Violations Video Ticketing System on the Henderson Street crossing in Salisbury, Rowan Co., is being collected. The media campaign for the ticketing process is scheduled to begin on June 15, 1998.
• The NCDOT Traffic Congestion and Engineering Operations Unit has designed the "Photo Citation Enforcement" signs proposed for the CLEAR Violations ticketing phase of the Henderson Street location in Salisbury, Rowan Co. The design has been approved, and authorization for the production of the signs has been given.
• The Traffic Engineering & Safety Systems Branch’s Traffic Safety Systems Management Unit has completed the preemption phasing plan for use at four-quadrant gate locations, and is awaiting a meeting with Norfolk Southern to present the phasing plan.
• The City of High Point has agreed to construct concrete median barriers at the newly constructed Pendleton Street crossing. The City has agreed to construct the concrete median barriers this spring and maintain them, and the Rail Division will reimburse the City for the project. The effectiveness and durability of the concrete median barrier will be evaluated in conjunction with the Qwick Kurb median barrier.
• The engineering firm of Gannett-Fleming is still negotiating with the participating municipalities on the recommendations from the Traffic Separation Study to consolidate crossings between 36th Street in Charlotte and Liberty Street in China Grove. A total of 13 crossings have been identified for near-term closure in this study.
• The engineering firm of Carter-Burgess is working with the NCDOT Planning and Environmental Branch to complete the environmental documentation necessary for the proposed connector road and grade separation that will enable the elimination of three redundant at-grade crossings in Greensboro. Upon completion of the environmental documentation, detailed costs estimates for the construction of the project will commence.
• The SR-1550 (Stanford Road) crossing in Guilford County received Buckeye sign treatment for the crossbuck posts on February 19, 1998.

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