Rocky Mount Traffic Separation Study

Up to 40 freight trains and 8 passenger trains travel through Rocky Mount each day. To improve safety at highway-rail crossings in Rocky Mount, the City and the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) entered into a cooperative agreement to evaluate the existing public highway-rail crossings, and the recommended revisions to the existing one-way tunnel on Sutton Road.

The Rocky Mount Traffic Separation Study evaluated 39 existing public railroad crossings to determine if any of the crossings should be closed, enhanced with additional warning devices or grade separated to improve safety. The study also examined the effects on traffic patterns based on opening a new crossing and/or closing existing crossings.

Recommendations and costs were made for near-term (0 to 5 years)
and long-term (5-10 years).

Existing Conditions:
The proposed TSS study area within the City of Rocky Mount consists of three rail corridors:

The Nash County Railroad "ABA" line is an east-west line located between Spring Hope and the north-south CSX line in downtown Rocky Mount. It is operated by the Nash County Railroad. The railroad operates two trains a day, five days a week.
The CSX "A" line is a north-south line shared by the Amtrak passenger service and the CSX railroad freight service. Amtrak has four trains in the morning and four trains in the afternoon. CSX operates freight service with 30 to 34 trains per day along this line.
The CSX "AB" line is an east-west line located between the north-south CSX line in downtown Rocky Mount and Plymouth. Four rains operate per day, six days a week.

Crossing Locations:
The NCDOT and city examined 39 existing public at-grade crossing and one grade separation for possible improvements.

Crossings along the Nash County Railroad ABA Line included:
1.	South Halifax Road
2.	Mansfield Drive
3.	Nottingham Road
4.	Winstead Avenue
5.	Englewood Drive
6.	Avondale Avenue
7.	Old Mill Road
8.	Wesleyan Blvd.
9.	Piedmont Avenue
10.	Lee St. /Glenn Ave.
11.	Mayo St./Pinecrest Street
12.	Hammond Street
13.	Pine Street
14.	Tillery Street
15.	Howell Street
16.	Grace Street
17.	Pearl Street
18.	Franklin Street
19.	Church Street
Crossings along the CSX Railroad AB Line included:
20.	Washington Street
21.	Vance Street/Pender Street
22.	Clark Street
23.	Branch Street
24.	Cokey Road
25.	Pitt Street
26.	Fairview Road
27.	Glendale Avenue
Crossing along the CSX Railroad A Line & Amtrak Passenger Line targeted for improvement included:
28.	Bridges Street
29.	Battleboro Road
30.	College Road
31.	Fountain School Road
32.	Grand Avenue
33.	Gold Leaf Street
34.	Thomas Street
35.	Sunset Avenue
36.	Western Avenue
37.	Nash Street
38.	Bassett Street
39.	Kingston
40.	Old Tarboro Road

Based on the Rocky Mount Traffic Separation Study and citizen in-put following a series of public involvement meetings, the following recommendations were adopted:

NCDOT Recommendations
Near Term 0 to 5 Years
S. Halifax Rd.	Upgrade crossing signal equipment.
Mansfield Dr.	Leave crossing open in current condition.
Nottingham Rd.	Leave crossing open in current condition.
Avondale Ave.	Close to vehicle traffic. Provide pedestrian / bicycle crossing. Extend Westminister Drive to Winstead Ave.
Mayo/Pinecrest St.	Add gates and flashing signals.
Hammond Street	Add gates. Make Talbot Drive one-way eastbound. Ad curb & gutter along school property.
Pine Street	Close to vehicle traffic. Provide pedestrian/bicycle crossing.
Tillery Street	Close to vehicle traffic. Provide pedestrian/bicycle crossing
Howell St.	Enhance pavement markings. Add gates. Improve hump. Safety improvements to be proposed under TIP Project Z-4004G.
Pearl St.	Close-Provide fire hydrant by boring under tracks.
Washington St.	Close-Property can be accessed with a new drivemway from the vicinity of Vance St./Rex St. intersection. Provide fire hydrant at Washington St. by boring under tracks. Provide fire hydrant on Vance St. at driveway entrance.
Clark St.	Close-Pave existing section of Norfolk St. between Clark St. and Branch St. Construct new street north of tracks between Clark St. and Branch St.
Branch St.	Add curb and gutter to delineate roadway and/or place guardrail for utility poles. Add gate.
Cokey Rd.	Upgrade crossing signal equipment. Add concrete median with markers.
Pitt St.	Close. Provide additional fire hydrant by boring under tracks.
Fairview Rd.	Add gates.
Glendale Ave.	Enhance pavement markings.
Kingston/Sutton Rd.	Prepare feasibility study for grade separation.
Old Tarboro Rd.	Install four-quadrant automated gates.
Bridges St.	Close after TIP Project U-3329 is completed.
Battleboro Rd.	Upgrade crossing signal equipment. Trim trees in southwest quadrant. Place guardrail in northeast quadrant around gate. Install preempt system to alert Emergency Services when crossing blocked.
College Rd.	Upgrade crossing signal equipment.
Fountain School Rd.	Replace circuitry and cabinet. Add concrete median with markers.
Grand Ave.	Install four-quadrant automated gates. Adjust overhead utilities for gates.
Gold Leaf St.	Install four-quadrant automated gates.
Thomas St.	Upgrade crossing signal equipment. Revise intersection to include right turn and change signal phasing.
Sunset Ave.	Upgrade crossing signal equipment.
Western Ave.	Enhance pavement markings. Upgrade crossing signal equipment.
Nash St.	Close.
Bassett St.	Install four-quadrant automated gates.

NCDOT Recommendations
Long Term 5 to 10 Years
Kingston/Sutton Rd.	Grade separation with Railroads.
Battleboro Rd.	Four quadrant automated gates.
Fountain School Rd.	Study for further safety enhancements.

Updated January 5, 2006

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