Pennsylvania OKs $36 million in grants for rail projects

The Pennsylvania State Transportation Commission yesterday approved $36 million for 31 rail projects throughout the state over the next five years, Gov. Tom Wolf announced yesterday.

The funding will cover 15 projects through the Rail Transportation Assistance Program (RTAP) and 16 projects through the Rail Freight Assistance Program (RFAP). RTAP is a capital budget grant program funded with bonds and RFAP is underwritten
through the new Multimodal Fund, created by Act 89, according to a press release issued by Wolf's office.

"Pennsylvania has the most railroads in the country and these make up a
vital component of our economic and transportation activities," said Wolf. "These investments underscore our role in supporting jobs and economies across the state."

The projects include:
• $5 million for the Reading Blue Mountain & Northern Railroad to construct a new bridge and track across the Lehigh River;
• $3.6 million for Buffalo & Pittsburg Railroad Inc. to improve the Butler Yard and tracks, restore a crossover connection and repair eight bridges on its northern subdivision;
• $3 million for CSX to construct new main lead track, crossovers, turnouts and derails to allow intermodal trains to pull off the McKees Rocks mainline to serve the Pittsburgh Intermodal Terminal;
• $3.5 million for the SEDA-COG Joint Rail Authority to upgrade five bridges and replace another;
• $3.4 million for Union Railroad Co. to repair and rehabilitate the East Pittsburgh viaduct, including concrete repairs, structure drainage corrections and a 1,600-foot passing siding, as well as a new walkway and handrails;
• $2 million for the Steelton and Highspire Railroad to construct and rehabilitate 13,026 track feet and 22 turnouts serving the Durabond pipe plant, Chemtron weld plant and Arcelor-Mittal’s interchange loading area, and connect track to Norfolk Southern Railway's interchange and Steelton & Highspire Railroad’s main yard; and
• $1.2 million for Wheeling & Lake Erie Railway Co. to install 20 track miles of continuous welded rail on the Pittsburgh subdivision.

For a complete list of projects, click here.