Twelve trains travel daily through Clayton  – eight Norfolk Southern freight trains and four Amtrak passenger trains. In 2006, there were 75 rail-highway grade crossing collisions in North Carolina resulting in 8 deaths and 21 injuries. The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) is working with communities across the state – such as Clayton -- to make rail crossing improvements that will reduce the potential for such train-vehicle collisions.

In 2002, Clayton and the NCDOT agreed to examine nine public at-grade crossings between Shotwell Road and NC 42, as outlined in a Traffic Separation Study. The Traffic Separation Study evaluated train and vehicle traffic flow and patterns through town, then recommended which crossings could be improved, including which crossings could be closed to improve safety for motorists, rail passengers and train crews.

Since then, the NCDOT and Town of Clayton have agreed to work together to improve rail safety throughout the town with a series of improvements and railroad crossing closures.

After many focused discussions, the Town of Clayton, NCDOT, North Carolina Railroad Company and Norfolk Southern agreed to the following near and mid-term improvements:

Proposed Near-Term Improvements (within 2 years)

Smith Street
(Crossing No. 735 401G)

Step 1: Temporarily close crossing using barricades after NCDOT completes functional design and signal plans for the Central and Main intersection and submits them to the town for review.
Step 2: Permanently close crossing and landscape area after installating a traffic signal with turn lanes as needed at the Central and Main intersection.

Pedestrian Grade Separation

Conduct a planning and engineering study for a pedestrian underpass that would connect Front St. with Main St. downtown based on the closure of Church Street. The underpass will be located between Smith and Church streets.

Proposed Mid-Term Improvements (within 2-5 years)
Pedestrian Grade Separation Build a pedestrian underpass that would connect Front St. with Main St. downtown based on the closure of Church Street.

Church Street
(Crossing No. 735 400A)

Close crossing and landscape area after the pedestrian underpass is completed or earlier as deemed necessary by the construction process.

Stallings Street / SR 1709
(Crossing No. 735 396M)

Close crossing and landscape area after construction of Stallings Street connector to Main Street/Old Highway 70.

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) awarded an $800,000 grant to study the impact and partially fund a user-friendly pedestrian grade separation (in this case, underpass). The Clayton pedestrian underpass will provide a safe walkway between Front Street and Main Street downtown since pedestrians will no longer have to walk along, or cross, a busy section of railroad. The NCDOT will examine this safety project for its effectiveness and share that information with the FRA.

The Town of Clayton is projected to grow over the next 10-20 years as continued development causes increases in both the general population and the number of job opportunities in Johnston County. Clayton's elected officials say the need to prioritize safety enhancements will become even more critical as highway traffic volume grows and the number of freight and passenger train trips continue to increase.