Three Northwest Indiana projects will receive funds from the Railroad Crossing Elimination Grant Program.
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Railroad Administration announced Monday that $570 million will go toward 63 awards in 32 states.
“Every year, commuters, residents and first responders lose valuable time waiting at blocked railroad crossings – and worse, those crossings are too often the site of collisions that could be prevented,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “As part of President (Joe) Biden’s Investing in America agenda, we’re improving rail crossings in communities across the country to save lives, time and resources for American families.”
The Northwest Indiana projects include:
- City of Hammond: $7 million toward the Governors Parkway Railroad Overpass Project and the elimination of two at-grade crossings with the Northfolk Southern rail line at Parrish and Arizona avenues.
- City of Gary: $4.5 million toward the Buffington Harbor Gateway Project, which will include the elimination of eight at-grade rail crossings and the straightening of an s-shaped curve.
- Town of Schererville: $8.4 million toward the Kennedy Avenue Railroad Overpass Project, which will fund the final design and construction of a grade separation.
“Railroad stoppages in Hammond have been a problem in our city for over a century, and we are finally getting the opportunity to fix it once and for all,” said Mayor Tom McDermott in a press release.
The FRA said 2,000 collisions were reported at highway-rail crossings, and it received 30,000 complaints of blocked crossings. The U.S. has mroe than 130,000 miles of railroad track.
“The Railroad Crossing Elimination Grant Program is another critical tool that FRA is using to make a lasting impact on the safety and transportation needs of communities nationwide,” said FRA Administrator Amit Bose. “With these project selections and the many more that are to come, we will save lives and reshape infrastructure in ways that allow individuals to move through their neighborhoods seamlessly and safely.”
More program funding will be available during the next four years.
