Update: This version contains some project cost estimates as well as a statement from Albert Eby, executive director of the Cape Fear Public Transportation Authority.

Improvements to boost both freight and passenger rail service in southeastern North Carolina are included in the draft Comprehensive State Rail Plan released Friday by the N.C. Department of Transportation. The plan is part of Gov. Pat McCrory’s 25-year Vision for North Carolina transportation plan.

The main priority for the Wilmington area, according to the draft, is to develop intermodal freight train service to the Port of Wilmington. Next steps in this effort would be to:

• Identify capacity and safety needs along CSX Transportation (CSXT) and Wilmington terminal railway corridors in Wilmington;
• Partner with CSX to study capacity improvements to the CSXT system in eastern North Carolina that would increase freight capacity;
• Construct bridges at the port’s north gate and container terminal to separate railroad and truck traffic.

Much of the cost estimating in the draft is done by type of project rather than specific projects. The predicted cost for the bridge construction at to separate railroad and truck traffic, however, is about $50 million.

Improvements to CSX tracks along Front Street in Wilmington would cost about $900,000, the plan states.

The plan for eastern North Carolina includes providing access from Interstate 95 to Brunswick County’s Mid-Atlantic Industrial Rail Park, a 1,000-acre CSXT Select Site. It also would evaluate the feasibility of a new rail crossing of the Cape Fear River to create direct freight train access to the port without trains having to go through Wilmington proper.

The draft plan also looks at expanding access to passenger rail service for people in all regions of the state. Citing a more than 200 percent increase in North Carolina passenger rail ridership between 2003 and 2013, the plan calls for improved facilities and services on existing Amtrak routes and stations, including those that serve eastern North Carolina. It also recommends expanding Amtrak Thruway Bus service to more markets, including a Wilmington-Raleigh route. Currently that bus connection exists only between Wilmington and Wilson.

There is also mention in the draft of a potential passenger rail link between Wilmington and Raleigh, which is estimated to cost $262.5 million, and proposed study of a passenger rail corridor that would link Wilmington with Charlotte.

Albert Eby, executive director of the Cape Fear Public Transportation Authority, said that DOT has acquired "significant holdings" of property in downtown Wilmington for possible rail corridor use, and has studied various concepts of improving Thruway Bus and rail linkage between the Cape Fear area and the Triangle.

"The plans are out there but at this stage, there is nothing concrete, especially on the funding side," he said.

Eby added that NCDOT is likely looking at both the retiree and military markets in seeing increased demand for good rail connections to Amtrak routes.