A massive investment in the nation’s railways will help to fund multiple projects in both Illinois and Indiana, federal officials said Monday.
In all, more than $1.4 billion in funding was allocated to projects in 35 states and the District of Columbia, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation.
The projects will focus largely on safety and infrastructure improvement, with federal officials hoping that the projects will increase efficiency and reduce costs for consumers.
“Under President Joe Biden’s leadership, we are making historic investments in rail, which means fewer accidents and delays, faster travel times, and lower shipping costs for the American people,” USDOT Sec. Pete Buttigieg said in a statement.
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In Illinois, nearly $3 million was allocated to a project in Cook County that would “install trespassing prevention improvements” along a stretch of the BNSF Railway corridor in the western suburbs.
According to DOT, BNSF Railway is the busiest Metra line in the entire system, and this project will improve safety by moving pedestrians to grade crossings and will discourage individuals from crossing tracks away from stations along the line.
Cook County will provide 20% of the funding for the total cost of the project, according to federal officials.
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Another significant project was greenlit in northwestern Illinois, as a rehabilitation project will be launched on the Keokuk Junction Railway. More than $15 million will go toward the project, which will improve 126 miles of track along the railway’s mainline.
A pair of Indiana projects were also approved, including upgrades to the Toledo, Peoria and Western Railway Corporation’s tracks between Indiana and Illinois. That project will repair tracks that help move agricultural products between the two states, and will increase capacity to store and stage railcars, according to federal officials.
The Indiana Department of Transportation will contribute funds, as will the TPW Railway.
A rail line connecting Louisville and Indianapolis will also receive funding, with grade crossing improvements, solar panel installations and track improvements funded with nearly $3 million in new federal money.
The Louisville and Indiana Railroad Company will spearhead that project, with LIRC and InDOT providing 52% of the project’s total cost.
A full rundown of all the federal projects that will receive funding can be found on the USDOT website, including a massive $178 million project, spearheaded by Amtrak, that will restore passenger rail service in Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi that was devastated by Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
