WINGATE, N.C. — A railroad crossing in Wingate will be closed after repeated incidents of trains striking trucks in the Union County town.
Since the beginning of the year, two freight trains, both operated by CSX Transportation, struck trucks stopped on the road crossing.
In a meeting Tuesday, the Wingate town board unanimously decided to close the crossing on North Stewart Street. Vehicles will no longer be able to cross the train tracks on that street.
Adjacent railroad crossings on North Main Street and Bivens Street will be refurbished by the North Carolina Department of Transportation, according to a town spokesperson. In addition, both crossings will receive sidewalk improvements.
The elevated railroad crossings caused the trucks to get stuck on the tracks, leaving them stranded as trains approached, officials explained. Luckily, no one was seriously injured in either January crash.
Editor's Note: The video above is from March
The goal is to flatten and smooth out the crossings to prevent trucks from getting stuck.
The project, expected to cost more than a million dollars, will likely happen thanks to a federal grant.
Mayor Gary Hamill said previously it could take around a year to get the projects finished.
“The endgame is to stop a natural disaster from a train wreck that we’ve seen across the country,” Hamill explained in March.
Residents that attended a March meeting told WCNC Charlotte they're happy the town is being proactive to prevent any possible toxic spills, such as the ones that have impacted East Palestine, Ohio.
“I live just two blocks away and with a hazardous waste spill, I’m not sure what would happen to me and my family,” Nathel Hailey shared.
Wingate is located east of Monroe within Union County and is home to Wingate University.
This section of the railroad is used to carry freight between Hamlet, North Carolina, and the city of Monroe, where some of the freight then travels into Charlotte.
Contact Julia Kauffman at jkauffman@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Listen to free podcasts from WCNC Charlotte
Flashpoint is a weekly in-depth look at politics in Charlotte, North Carolina, South Carolina, and beyond with host Ben Thompson. Listen to the podcast weekly.
SUBSCRIBE: Apple Podcasts || Spotify || Stitcher || Google Podcasts
Locked On is the leading podcast network for local sports and is owned by WCNC Charlotte's parent company TEGNA.
Listen to Locked On here.
Wake Up Charlotte To Go is a daily news and weather podcast you can listen to so you can start your day with the team at Wake Up Charlotte.
SUBSCRIBE: Apple Podcasts || Spotify || Stitcher || TuneIn || Google Podcasts
All of WCNC Charlotte's podcasts are free and available for both streaming and download. You can listen now on Android, iPhone, Amazon, and other internet-connected devices. Join us from North Carolina, South Carolina, or on the go anywhere.