Alabama short line wins grant to fund rail bridge replacement

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey this week announced a $1 million grant to help the Huntsville & Madison County Railroad Authority (HMCR) fund the replacement of the Aldridge Creek Bridge in northern Alabama.

The HMCR provides rail service for about 10 industries. Located along the short line’s 13.3-mile route from Huntsville to Norton, the new concrete bridge will replace the existing wood bridge to enhance safety and allow rail cars to transport heavier loads, according to a press release from the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA).

The self-funded, nonprofit railroad — which was created to support industrial developments in north Alabama — will also install more than 10,000 new ties and make improvements in its rail yard as part of a total upgrade.

“With the economic boom that Huntsville and Madison County are currently experiencing, the Huntsville & Madison County Railroad Authority figures prominently into that growth equation,” said ADECA Director Kenneth Boswell.

Founded in 1983, the HCMR was created to operate on track that was abandoned by the Louisville and Nashville Railroad.