Fewer fatalities expected with opening of Grier Road bridge

The new Grier Road bridge has opened to traffic at Old Concord Road in northeast Charlotte.

The bridge carries traffic over the N.C. Railroad tracks and replaced the Newell-Hickory Grove Road railroad crossing, which was permanently closed in April.

N.C. Department of Transportation is encouraging motorists to slow down when traveling through the area because of the new traffic pattern.

The Grier Road bridge is part of the Grier Road Grade Separation project, which is designed to improve safety in the Newell area by lifting vehicle traffic above the tracks, according to N.C. Department of Transportation.

With separate routes for cars and trains, N.C. DOT expects fewer vehicle-to-train collisions as well as fewer fatalities that result from those collisions. Traffic flow should also improve in the area.

This story was originally published July 3, 2016 at 3:42 PM with the headline "Fewer fatalities expected with opening of Grier Road bridge."