U S Department of Transportation

North Carolina Sealed Corridor Phase Iv Assessment- Private Crossings U S Department of Transportation

Publisher Marketing: This research, conducted from October 2008 to February 2010, assesses the potential safety benefits provided by the safety improvements at private highway-rail grade crossings in North Carolina along the Charlotte to Raleigh portion of the Southeast High-Speed Rail Corridor (SEHSR). The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) proceeded with this set of safety improvements, commonly grouped under the program entitled Private Crossing Safety Initiative (PCSI), under Phase IV of its Sealed Corridor program. The progress is described in terms of safety benefits. Crash data through 2008 were examined to ensure any incidents that may have occurred at crossings improved through September 2008 would be included. This report also contains an analysis and evaluation of whether the resulting reduction in incidents is sustainable through 2010 when train speeds along the corridor could achieve 110 miles per hour (mph), although discussions with NCDOT rail staff indicate train speeds may only increase to 79 mph. Therefore, an evaluation of five different rail speed variables-No Build (110 mph in 2010), No Build (79 mph in 2010), Full Build (110 mph in 2010), Full Build (79 mph in 2010), and Full Build without any rail speed increase in 2010-were analyzed and compared.