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6/9/2023
The Federal Railroad Administration awarded a combined $24 million in grant funds to Decatur and Franklin Park, Illinois, to complete two grade separation projects, the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) announced this week.
The funds are part of $570 million in grant awards the FRA awarded to 32 states under the Railroad Crossing Elimination grant program, which funds project to close or replace dangerous grade crossings.
In Decatur, $16 million will go toward a project to upgrade 1.21 miles of Brush College Road by creating a grade separation structure, ICC officials said in a press release. The project also will permanently close two existing highway-rail grade crossings on Norfolk Southern Railway and Illinois Central Railroad track and create pedestrian crossings there. The city, state, ICC and NS will contribute funds totaling 33% of the project cost. The project also is supported by a $28.6 million grant from the Federal Highway Administration.
In Franklin Park, $8 million will help fund a project to separate a grade crossing along Canadian Pacific Kansas City track. The project calls for closing at least one grade crossing, ICC officials said. The project is being designed to improve roadway-user safety and improve the rail network's fluidity. The village is providing a 20% match.