The NC Department of Transportation Rail Division is interested in studying the feasibility of grade separation improvements -- including a railroad bridge -- at the existing northern set of tracks (North Carolina Railroad/Norfolk Southern Railway) and planned railroad tracks on Harrison Avenue. The goal of these improvements would be to aid traffic flow in downtown Cary, which is impeded when rail crossings at Harrison Avenue and Academy Street become blocked by trains, causing vehicles to wait in line until the trains have passed.

The study area would be limited to Harrison Avenue from Adams Street to just north of Chatham Street.

Benefits of a NCRR/NS Railroad Bridge
· Allows passenger trains stopping/boarding at Cary Depot to pull further west under Harrison Avenue and past the Academy Street, allowing the at-grade crossing to remain open
· Aids the Town's goal of avoiding impacts to Chatham Street
· Improves traffic flow through downtown Cary
· Provides proactive planning for future rail demand
· Eliminates need for emergency responders to take alternate routes due to blocked crossings
· Maintains vehicular, pedestrian, and cycling access to schools
· Provides connectivity between locations in the northern part of downtown with the southern portion of downtown, consistent with the Downtown Cary Streetscape design plans

NCDOT's Harrison Avenue Railroad Bridge Study project would work in conjunction with the Town's Walker Street extension project, downtown revitalization planning, and overall transportation efforts.

Elements of the Study
· Data Collection - Includes traffic counts, review of existing studies and plans, and other data
  collection activities to provide background knowledge of existing conditions;
· Design: Includes functional design plans for the proposed Harrison Avenue bridge structure, rail 
  platforms, and road/sidewalk design;
· Visualization: Includes renderings, 3-D models, and other tools for showcasing the bridge
  design and potential project impacts such as traffic simulations, travel patterns and multiple 
  modes of transportation to the public;
· Environmental Screening: Involves a preliminary investigation of the Harrison Avenue corridor
  to identify potential environmental issues such as community characteristics, consistency with
  local plans, neighborhoood cohesion, economic development and downtown redevelopment.

Public Involvement
Citizens will be engaged throughout this study to aid in developing the best solution for the Town's downtown corridor. Information about public involvement opportunities will be published in the Town's newsletter, via news releases and on the Town's website.

Budget
The study is expected to cost about $325,000. It has not been funded at this time. NCDOT Rail is exploring funding opportunities with the support of the Town of Cary and other regional planning partners.

Timeline
Should funding be available for the Harrison Avenue Railroad Bridge Crossing Study project, the design is expected to take about 18 months to complete.

Contact
Tim Bailey, P.E.
Director of Engineering
(919) 469-4034
tim.bailey@townofcary.org