The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) began construction on rail safety improvement projects along the North Carolina Railroad’s Piedmont Corridor between Raleigh and Charlotte.
This series of projects are part of the Piedmont Improvement Program, supported by a $520 million American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 grant, and will enhance safety for train travelers, motorists and pedestrians, while laying the foundation for a higher-performing freight and passenger rail network.
A combination of new grade separations, such as road or rail overpasses or underpasses, and highway-rail grade crossing closures and enhancements will enable trains on the Piedmont Corridor to travel faster and more reliably as well as help communities benefit from reduced roadway congestion and improved safety at crossings.
“The safest crossing is one that doesn’t exist, and NCDOT is now on its way to eliminating 50 crossings between Charlotte and Raleigh while building strategic underpasses and overpasses,” said Federal Railroad Administrator Joseph C. Szabo. “North Carolina Transportation Secretary Tony Tata and NCDOT continue to advance the Piedmont Improvement Program, which is proving to the nation that market-based investments in higher-performing rail service also deliver important safety improvements for trains, pedestrians, and vehicles.”
There are more than 7,000 highway-rail grade crossings in North Carolina, with nearly three hundred located along the Piedmont Corridor in Rowan and Guilford counties. The Piedmont Improvement Program will eliminate 17% of the grade crossings in these two counties, creating separations between rail and vehicular traffic with new overpasses and underpasses.
A project that broke ground recently will result in a new double-track railroad bridge to eliminate the existing at-grade crossing. And in July, NCDOT will begin construction of a new roadway bridge that will eliminate four crossings.
The Piedmont Improvement Program includes 12 projects dedicated to separating rail and highway traffic, and builds on NCDOT’s successful Sealed Corridor Program, begun in 1992, which aims to improve or consolidate highway-rail grade crossings along the Southeast High Speed Rail Corridor. The Piedmont Corridor is part of the Southeast High-Speed Rail Corridor, which runs from Washington, D.C. to Charlotte, with planning underway for an extension to Atlanta.
RELATED: "OLI, FRA award $200K in safety education grants."
N.C. DOT begins rail safety improvement projects
Part of the Piedmont Improvement Program, supported by a $520 million American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 grant. Will enhance safety for train travelers, motorists and pedestrians, while laying the foundation for a higher-performing freight and passenger rail network.
More Rail

How Transit Architecture Is Reshaping the Rider Journey
In this Consultant Roundtable, Carmen C. Cham shares insights on how agencies can create spaces that are intuitive, connected and built for long-term impact.
Read More →
Chicago Kicks Off Historic Red Line Extension at Michigan Avenue Station Site
The Red Line Extension Project will provide the Far South Side of Chicago with rapid rail transit for the first time by extending the Red Line by 5.5 miles from 95th Street to 130th Street, including the construction of four new Red Line stations at 103rd, 111th, Michigan, and 130th streets.
Read More →
USDOT Invests $1.1B to Enhance Safety Infrastructure at Railroad Crossings
Every year, more than 2,000 incidents and 300 fatalities occur at railroad crossings nationwide.
Read More →
NYC’s Fulton–Liberty Lines Get Digital Signal Upgrade from Siemens and L.K. Comstock
The Siemens CBTC System, Trainguard MT, in compliance with New York Subway Interoperability Interface Specifications, enables trains to run as close as 90 seconds apart, using next-generation signaling and continuous communication to keep operations moving seamlessly.
Read More →
WMATA Adopts FY2027 Budget, Boosts Service Without Raising Fares
While recognizing regional economic constraints and continuing to improve service, the budget increases the jurisdictional subsidy to less than 1.8%, significantly below the inflation rate and the 3% regional target, said agency officials.
Read More →
Denver's RTD Celebrates 10th Anniversary of the A Line
With more than 59,400,000 boardings since the service’s debut, the A Line’s utilization surpassed that of all other RTD rail services in 2025, the agency reported.
Read More →
Virginia DRPT Releases Draft Six-Year Program for Transit, Rail Investments
The plan outlines funding for transit operations, capital projects, and freight and passenger rail initiatives, as state officials seek public input on priorities shaping mobility and infrastructure across the Commonwealth.
Read More →
USDOT Announces $6.7B for Northeast Corridor, Nationwide Rail Upgrades
Under Secretary Duffy, the grant program’s revamped criteria will prioritize safety; the American family; and workforce development, job quality, and wealth creation, according to a press release.
Read More →
San Diego Transit Agencies Propose Fare Hike to Close Budget Gaps
The agencies, San Diego MTS and NCTD - San Diego Railroad, which share a fare system (PRONTO), proposed the changes to help address their respective financial sustainability strategies.
Read More →
Austin Transit Partnership Names Contractor for Light Rail Operations Facility
The ATP board’s approval of the KAP team enables ATP to begin pre-construction activities, including advancing design, initiating permitting, and preparing the site for future construction.
Read More →