The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) announced that it has awarded more than USD 108 million in funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to nine projects in Alaska, South Dakota, and Wyoming through the Special Transportation Circumstances (STC) Grant Program.
Almost all projects will benefit short line railroads, many of which are small businesses that serve as a crucial link in the rail supply chain. Selected projects will upgrade track, acquire new railcars, improve or eliminate highway-rail grade crossings, and more.
Alaska:
- Rail yard improvements at Alaska Railroad Corporation’s (ARRC) Seward and Fairbanks terminals will improve existing operations and accommodate future growth at these terminals, where freight volumes continue to grow.
- AARC will procure approximately 20 new general-service flat cars necessary to haul pipe, machinery, lumber, and other products to go into service along the ARRC corridor serving Seward, Whittier, Anchorage, Fairbanks, and North Pole, Alaska.
South Dakota:
- Culverts will be upgraded along the Sisseton Milbank Railroad (SMRR) main line to improve drainage and increase track stability, making the rail line more resilient in the event of extreme weather.
- More than 16 miles of track and 34 structures will be upgraded on the Pierre & Eastern Railroad, Inc. (RCP&E) main line to improve operations and safety and support economic development and growth along the Upper Black Hills corridor.
- Seventeen grade crossings and approximately 12 miles of track will be upgraded to increase safety, capacity, and speeds on the D&I Railroad.
Wyoming:
- A potentially dangerous highway-rail crossing on College Drive/Wyoming State Highway 212 will be closed and a new overpass bridge will be built to prevent collisions between motorists and trains and improve mobility.
You can read more about all nine projects and the benefits here.
“No matter where you live in this country, rail systems play a critical role in getting people and goods where they need to go, and the STC grants ensure that no state is left behind when it comes to the development of a robust freight rail transportation system,” said FRA Administrator Amit Bose. “From funding upgrades to rail infrastructure resiliency and capacity to improving safety features at highway-rail grade crossings, these grants will strengthen American businesses and supply chains while making rail operations even safer.”
The STC Grant Program awards funding to states that lack intercity passenger rail service or are not connected to the national rail system and provides directed grant funding as a set-aside from several FRA grant programs, including the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI), Restoration and Enhancement (R&E), Railroad Crossing Elimination (RCE), and Interstate Rail Compacts (IRC) programs, which have all seen significant funding increases under President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. FRA has also made billions of dollars in funding available under these programs this year as the Biden-Harris Administration continues to deliver on its commitment to building the safe and modern rail network that Americans need and deserve.
More information about the STC Grant Program is available here.
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