Project Summary
Rail Improvements Project

NCDOT Rail Division
1556 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-1556
Phone: 919 715-7894
Email: jorthner@dot.state.nc.us

Contact: Jason Orthner, PE
Senior Project Engineer

Project Details & Maps

The Greenville Connector

Currently, there is no railroad track connection to permit train traffic moving from south to east. Southbound train traffic is hauled through the CSX Transportation/Carolina Coastal Railway railroad crossing to a small switching yard located between Arlington Road and Howell Street. Freight cars maneuver in and out of the railroad sidings as they connect cars to build eastbound trains. This operation often occurs during peak travel times, blocking the railroad crossings at Fourteenth Street, Howell Street and Arlington Road. Recent study data show that Fourteenth Street carries approximately 16,000 vehicles per day and Arlington Road carries approximately 30,000 vehicles per day; therefore, this railroad operation has significant impact on vehicle traffic.

The Greenville Connector project involves building a connector track, known as a wye, and joining the CSX Transportation line with the Carolina Coastal Railway line. This will improve flow and movement of freight, as well as decrease motorist delays at these crossings.

Greenville Rail Yard

Conceptual plans and cost estimates are being completed for relocating the CSX switching operation, currently located between Arlington Road and Howell Street, to a new yard located just north of NC 903. The Greenville Rail Yard project will also include the addition of two long siding tracks. A new connection track (known as a wye) will be located near the CSX Transportation and Carolina Coastal Railway crossing between Arlington Road and Howell Street. This new rail yard will help eliminate the blockage of crossings and improve the movement of freight through downtown Greenville.