P-5709-Franklin Blvd Grade Separation - Greensboro
P-5709-Franklin Blvd Grade Separation - Greensboro
The North Carolina Department of Transportation is preparing to begin construction on Project P-5709, which will construct a grade separation at Franklin Boulevard and permanently close the O’Ferrell Street rail crossing. A grade separation means using a bridge to separate intersecting roads and/or railroads, which improves safety and traffic flow.
Vicinity Map:
Project P-5709
Purpose and Need:
P-5709 – Franklin Boulevard Grade Separation
The project is needed to reduce the potential for roadway vehicle/train conflicts at the at-grade crossings as rail traffic volumes increase in the future. Grade separations and crossing closures eliminate the potential for roadway vehicle/train conflicts, which improves safety for both rail and roadway traffic.
The project will:
Remove the existing at-grade railroad crossing at Franklin Boulevard
Construct a new grade-separated railroad bridge over Franklin Boulevard
Remove the existing rail crossing at O’Ferrell Street
Franklin Boulevard will include two 11-foot lanes, an 11-foot northbound left turn lane,
a five-foot monolithic concrete island transitioning into a center -turn lane (concrete island extends from the southern terminus of Franklin Boulevard to the existing Army National Guard driveway),
two-foot six-inch curb and gutter,
five-foot bicycle lanes
four-foot sidewalks on each side.
The purpose of the project is to provide safety improvements and improve passenger and freight rail operations along the Piedmont Corridor between Raleigh and Charlotte by replacing existing at-grade railroad crossings at Franklin Boulevard with a grade separation and proposed closure of the O’Ferrell Street crossing. The Piedmont Corridor consists of the Greensboro to Charlotte portion of the NS Washington, DC to Atlanta, Georgia mainlines and the NS H-line that runs from Greensboro to Raleigh.
The project will remove existing at-grade railroad crossings and construct a grade separation to enhance safety along the Raleigh-to-Charlotte high-speed rail corridor. As rail and roadway traffic continue to grow, the potential for vehicle/train collisions at at-grade crossings will increase. By eliminating these crossings and providing alternate access to safer, separated routes, the project will reduce conflict points, improve safety for both rail and roadway users, and support more efficient operations for passenger and freight rail along the Piedmont Corridor.
Project History
P-5709 – Franklin Boulevard Grade Separation
In 2013 the NCDOT Rail Division, City of Greensboro, NCRR, and NS participated in a comprehensive evaluation of traffic patterns and road usage at six (6) existing at-grade crossings in Guilford County located along the NS rail corridor. Using quantitative and qualitative measures, the Traffic Separation Study (TSS) recommended a grade-separation at the Franklin Boulevard crossing and to close O’Ferrell Street. The Franklin Boulevard crossing was the highest priority of the six crossings in the study, given its traffic volumes and connectivity with the larger street network. The Franklin Boulevard rail crossing serves 7,325 vehicles per day (vpd - 2014), while the O’Ferrell Street crossing serves a lower volume (760 vpd - 2014) of mostly residential traffic.
Based on the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) data, a daily total of 13 trains cross Franklin Boulevard at a typical speed range between 40 and 60 mph (2017). These volumes translate to an exposure rate of approximately 560 vehicles per train per day at the Franklin Boulevard crossing. According to the Director of Transportation for Guilford County Schools, 59 school buses make a total of 205 daily trips across the Franklin Boulevard railroad crossing and 12 school buses make a total of 48 daily trips across the O’Ferrell Street railroad crossing.
Open House Public Update Meeting
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August 12, 2025
Falkener Elementary School
3931 Naco Road
4:00 pm to 7:00 pm
No formal presentation will be made
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Past Public Meeting
A public meeting was held on Nov. 21, 2019 in Greensboro at the Genesis Baptist Church from 4-7 p.m. to obtain stakeholder and public input regarding the project's design.
Public Meeting Map:
Map 1: Franklin Boulevard Grade Separation and O'Ferrell Street At-Grade Rail Crossing Closure
Rendering of project overview of the proposed Franklin Boulevard grade separation
Related Project Update
Project Y-5500GA, which proposed extending Naco Road from O’Ferrell Street to U.S. 70 (Burlington Road) with grade separations at Ward Road and Wagoner Bend Road, and the closure of rail crossings at Maxfield Road and Buchanan Church Road, was presented at a public meeting in November 2019. However, funding for that project has not been secured, and it is not included in the 2026–2035 NCDOT State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP).
Project Funding
|
Estimated Amount* |
Property Acquisition | $3.48 Million |
| Utiliy Costs | $1.57 Million |
Construction Costs | $26.8 Million |
Total Cost | $31.85 Million |
* Estimated costs are subject to change. Based on NCDOT STIP.
Project Timeline
Milestone | Date* |
| PE Funding Approved | May 2017 |
Initial Public Meeting | December 2017 |
Alternative Selection | May 2019 |
Second Public Meeting | November 2019 |
Environmental Document | December 2019 |
Right of Way Acquisition | Fiscal Year 2021 |
Construction Begins | January 2026 |
* Future dates are preliminary and subject to change
PROJECT CONTACT INFORMATION
Christa Greene, PE
Project Development Engineer Consultant
NCDOT Rail Division
1553 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-1553
PROJECT CONTACT INFORMATION
Jeff Dayton, PE
Project Consultant
HDR
555 Fayetteville Street, Suite 900
Raleigh, NC 27601
Project Comments
NCDOT accepts comments throughout all phases of project development.
All comments will be taken into consideration, and carry equal weight, regardless of submittal method.
Comments received will be noted in the project record, but because the project has advanced beyond
the preliminary design stage, no formal response or design revisions are required or expected.
The public is encouraged to leave comments using this webpage, email, or phone number:
Email: franklinblvd-greensboro@publicinput.com
Phone Number: 512-580-8850 enter project code 5688 to leave a message
RESOURCES FOR PROPERTY OWNERS
Although the N.C. Department of Transportation works to minimize the number of homes and businesses displaced by a road project, it is inevitable, in many cases, that a certain amount of private property is needed. The following information explains right of way acquisition and answers questions about the process.
Right-of-Way Brochure Single Page Layout Folleto del Proceso de Adquisición de Bienes Raíces
Right-of-Way Frequently Asked Questions
Right of way Acquisition Process Videos