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The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) and Kentucky Transportation Cabinet recently signed off on a $12.9 million Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant for R.J. Corman Railroad Group’s “Appalachian Regional Short-Line Rail” project, enabling work to begin in the state.

The project calls for improving infrastructure for five short lines operating in Kentucky, Tennessee and West Virginia. Work involves rehabilitating hundreds of miles of track, upgrading grade crossings, and improving bridges and tunnels.

The project will encourage shippers to shift their hazardous commodity and chemical traffic from truck to rail, increase safety, and reduce fuel consumption and emissions, according to the USDOT.

Tennessee and West Virginia also are receiving TIGER grants of $2.8 million and $1.7 million, respectively, for the project, boosting the total grant amount to $17.5 million.