The North Carolina Department of Transportation has awarded approximately $10.9 million in matching grants to the North Carolina Ports Authority and 13 short line railroads through the agency’s freight rail and rail crossing improvement program.

Fourteen projects received grants that will help fund upgrades to more than 12 miles of railroad track and 35 bridges in the state. Including the railroads’ investments, funding toward the projects is estimated at more than $21.7 million.

The projects are: 

• Aberdeen Carolina and Western Railway: $3,563,324 for bridge improvements, siding construction and mainline track upgrades.
• Aberdeen and Rockfish Railroad: $419,175 for rail upgrades on the mainline.
• Alexander Railroad Co.: $218,660 for mainline crosstie upgrades and other track improvements.
• Atlantic and Western Railway: $625,572 for switch upgrades, rail improvements and bridge improvements.
• Caldwell County Railroad: $73,125 for track alignment improvements and track and crosstie upgrades.
• Carolina Coastal Railway: $1,113,500 for mainline bridge and track improvements.
• Chesapeake and Albemarle Railroad: $457,400 for bridge and structure improvements, plus track and crosstie upgrades.
• Great Smoky Mountains Railroad: $921,950 for bridge improvements, track, rail and crosstie upgrades.
• North Carolina State Ports Authority: $825,000 for dock rail improvements at the Port of Wilmington.
• North Carolina and Virginia Railroad: $974,434 for rail upgrades, bridge improvements and crosstie upgrades.
• RJ Corman Railroad Co.: $219,349 for track and crosstie upgrades and bridge improvements.
• Thermal Belt Railway: $102,050 for rail and crossties upgrades and track alignment improvements.
• Wilmington Terminal Railroad: $575,172 for yard switch upgrades and related track improvements.
• Yadkin Valley Railroad: $762,538 for bridge improvements, switch upgrades and mainline track improvements.