Title
Aberdeen, Carolina, and Western Railway (ACWR) Track Realignment Funding
Action
Action:
Adopt a resolution authorizing the City Manager to execute a Municipal Agreement with the North Carolina Department of Transportation in an amount not to exceed $300,000 for preparation of an environmental document for the ACWR Track Realignment
Body
Staff Resource(s):
Danny Pleasant, Transportation
Timothy Gibbs, Transportation
Explanation
* Funding for the environmental document will be provided from the City's Northeast Corridor Infrastructure (NECI) Program that is part of the FY 2014 Community Investment Plan.
* The track realignment project (also known as the North Yard Lead Realignment) was first identified in the Charlotte Railroad Improvement and Safety Program (CRISP) in 2010. CRISP identified a variety of rail projects on intercity rail corridors citywide.
* The realignment of the ACWR tracks was included in the Blue Line Extension Transit Station Area Plan adopted by City Council in 2013.
* This project will allow the development of compatible land uses and transportation infrastructure to accommodate pedestrian, bicycle, and vehicular traffic in the area.
* A 2015 study completed by the City identified the realignment of the ACWR tracks east of the Sugar Creek Blue Line Extension light rail station that would best fit into the future area development plan.
* The project will:
* Improve railroad operations north of the Norfolk Southern (NS) Yard near the current Amtrak Station on N. Tryon St.;
* Simplify rail yard switching operations; and
* Eliminate a number of unsafe neighborhood at-grade rail-street crossings.
* NCDOT Rail Division staff will oversee the preparation of the environmental document in conjunction with the City.
* Environmental documentation is needed before the ACWR track realignment project can become eligible for State or Federal funding.
Fiscal Note
Funding: General Community Investment Plan
Attachments
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