Kentucky awards $3.6M in grants for rail infrastructure projects

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear yesterday announced the award of $3.6 million in state grants to help pay for 12 railway infrastructure improvement projects in 11 counties.

The projects are designed to improve safety at public crossings, provide timely maintenance and enhance storage capacity of the statewide rail network, ultimately supporting and encouraging economic growth, Kentucky officials said in a press release.

More than $2 million was awarded through the Kentucky Industrial Access and Safety Improvement (KIASI) program, while the Kentucky Rail Crossing Improvement (KRCI) program provided $1.6 million.

Grants were awarded to Norfolk Southern Railway, Pittsburg Glass Works LLC and Paducah & Louisville Railway. NS received $605,000 in KIASI funding to provide soil stabilization of railroad roadbeds for mainline track and two switch tracks from industrial parks in Florence.

Pittsburg Glass received $1.4 million in KIASI funding to construct a new 580-foot spur line in Madison County to connect to CSX and improve rail-car storage capacity and services in the area. 

The rail crossing grants were awarded to NS and Paducah & Louisville for projects that span six counties in eastern, central and northern Kentucky. The KRCI funding, which pays for up to 80% of rail company costs, will help upgrade signals and lights, as well as install raised curb medians with reflective markers to prevent unsafe driving practices at crossings. Two projects will also receive full crossing surface replacements in addition to safety improvements.