North Carolina’s Selma Railroad Crossing Could Permanently Close

Written by Kyra Senese, Managing Editor
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NCDOT

The N.C. Department of Transportation is seeking public input on a proposal to permanently close East Preston Street to vehicular traffic at its railroad crossing in Selma.

The NCDOT’s Rail Division will hold an open house about the proposed change from 5-7 p.m. on Feb. 28 in Selma Town Hall’s Council Chambers.

The Town of Selma and the Bailey Feed Mill have requested that the Rail Division consider closing this crossing. In recent years, the mill has grown, increasing rail and commercial truck traffic to the site. Closing the road would alleviate traffic and safety concerns at this busy intersection, officials said. As of now, the estimated total project cost is $570,000.

NCDOT would close the road and install guardrail on either side of the CSX railroad, as well as create a dead end and new turnaround area to the south of the tracks as part of the proposal. The safety enhancements would be built in 2025, according to a release.

The NCDOT Rail Division, the Town of Selma, the Bailey Feed Mill, and CSX Transportation met in 2012 to discuss the closure of the E. Preston Street Rail Crossing. At the time, the Town Council decided to reject the closure. The Bailey Feed Mill’s operations have since grown and, in 2022, the Town of Selma contacted the NCDOT Rail Division to request that the crossing be closed to reduce potential safety hazards.

The deadline for public comment is March 13. Individuals with questions or comments about the project can contact NCDOT Rail Division Project Engineer Conzuela Cogdell at 919-707-4123; cbcogdell@ncdot.gov; or 1556 Mail Service Center in Raleigh.

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