advertisement

---

On Tuesday, the Iowa Transportation Commission approved more than $5.5 million in funding for nine rail infrastructure improvement projects. The monies come from the state’s Railroad Revolving Loan and Grant (RRLG) program, which provides funding assistance to rail projects that create jobs, spur economic development and improve or preserve rail transportation.

The nine projects are expected to create 140 jobs within three years of completion, spur development in a number of industrial areas across the state and leverage millions in new capital investments, commission officials said in a prepared statement.

Through the RRLG program, the state will provide:
• a $2 million loan to the Cedar Rapids and Iowa City Railway Co. for the Iowa River crossing improvement project;
• a $1 million loan to Iowa River Railroad Inc. for Marshalltown-to-Ackley line improvements;
• a $617,454 loan to Cherokee Industrial Corp. for a rail spur in Cherokee;
• a $423,621 loan and $282,000 grant to Butler Logistics Park for a cross dock in Butler County;
• a $400,000 loan to North Central Iowa Rail Corridor L.L.C. for Forest City-to-Belmond line improvements;
• a $218,652 loan to Valley Distribution Corp. for a rail spur in West Burlington;
• a $185,767 loan and $204,000 grant to GMT Corp. for a rail spur in Waverly;
• a $157,948 loan to Burlington Junction Railway to rehabilitate a spur in Burlington; and
• a $72,000 grant to Global Foods Processing Inc. for a rail spur in Sioux City.