The Federal Railroad Association recently awarded the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) a $11.3 million Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) grant.
The agency will use the funding for the approximately $25 million Buffalo & Pittsburgh Railroad’s (BPRR) Rebuilding Western Pennsylvania project.
The project will improve safety, freight reliability, and supply chain efficiency by making infrastructure improvements to the Main Line Subdivision and P&W Subdivision of the Buffalo & Pittsburgh Railroad in Armstrong, Butler, Jefferson and Lawrence counties.
The rail line supports the transportation of multiple commodities and interchanges with Canadian National Railway, CSX, and Allegheny Valley Railroad.
The CRISI grant provides 45 percent of the needed funding, PennDOT will provide $4 million and BPRR will provide $9.75 million.
Construction is expected to finish by 2027.
“We’re grateful to our federal partners for their investment in this important project,” PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll said. “Pennsylvania is a critical freight corridor, and the Shapiro administration is committed to supporting investments that will help keep goods flowing safely and efficiently through the commonwealth.”
In 2017, 193.5 million tons of freight moved over the state’s rail transportation system in 4.9 million railcars, according to the 2020 Pennsylvania State Rail Plan.
Pennsylvania has more than 5,600 miles of track mileage.