DOT plans to close railroad crossing in Old Fort

Credit: Mike Conley

Officials with the N.C. Department of Transportation want to close the Lackey Town Road railroad crossing and realign the Mauney Avenue crossing with Spring Street. On a Wednesday afternoon, the Lackey Town Road crossing seemed to get a lot of traffic. DOT officials will hold an informational meeting today from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Old Fort Depot about the proposed projects.

By: Mike Conley | McDowell News
Published: November 12, 2008

The N.C. Department of Transportation will hold a citizens' informational workshop today about the closing of one railroad crossing in Old Fort and the relocation of another one.
The informal meeting will be from 5 to 7 p.m. today in the Old Fort Train Depot at 25 W. Main St. Residents can drop in and speak individually with state DOT officials about project plans, as well as view maps of the proposed project. Comments received during the workshop will be considered as project plans are refined. No formal presentation will be made.
The state DOT proposes to close the existing Norfolk Southern railroad crossing located at Lackey Town Road (State Road 1235) as well as relocate the Mauney Avenue rail crossing. The proposed closure and relocation of these rail crossings is part of an effort to reduce the number of redundant and/or high-accident grade crossings statewide.
Project Engineer Jahmal Pullen with the DOT's Rail Division said the closing of the Lackey Town Road crossing has been suggested since the mid-1990s. At that time, the state started looking at bringing back passenger rail service to western North Carolina. The engineering firm that was hired by the Rail Division looked at those crossings in Old Fort as being redundant.
Since then, officials with the DOT has considered closing the Lackey Town Road crossing and realigning the Mauney Avenue crossing so it would line up with Spring Street.
"It gives a better crossing at that location," said Pullen. "Emergency services would have better access."
If it happens, the process of closing the Lackey Town Road crossing and realigning the other one could take about a year and a half.
For more information, contact Project Engineer Jahmal Pullen at (919) 715-8748 or via e-mail at jpullen@ncdot.gov. You may also write to the DOT, referencing Transportation Improvement Program project number Y-4813B. The address is:
Jahmal Pullen
NCDOT Rail Division, Engineering & Safety Branch
1556 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-1556.

DOT plans to close railroad crossing in Old Fort

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