Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers and the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) announced Friday that the state had received nearly $15 million in grants and loans for five freight rail projects across the state.
The projects, worth an estimated $24.4 million, will replace timber bridges, improve crossings and allow emergency vehicle access, the governor’s office said.
“These freight rail projects are an investment in a critical part of Wisconsin’s supply chain,” Gov. Evers said. “Modern and efficient freight rail makes our communities safer and our whole transportation infrastructure stronger. This work will mean shorter routes for some emergency vehicles, higher weight limits for some trains, and a more modern rail for Wisconsin.”
The funding comes from the state transportation infrastructure budget and matching funds from partner organizations.
“Strengthening bridges, creating new routes for emergency vehicles, and updating crossings improves safety and the efficient movement of goods and services,” WisDOT Secretary Craig Thompson said. “Wisconsin’s freight rail network is a critical part of our transportation infrastructure, and these grants make strategic investments for our future.”
Last year, Evers signed the 2021-23 biennial budget, which provided $20 million for the Wisconsin Freight Railroad Preservation Program (FRPP). Through this investment, the FRPP provided $12.7 million in grants, and the Freight Railroad Infrastructure Improvement Program (FRIIP) provided $2.1 million in loans. The remaining funding is from matching funds from participants.
The Wisconsin & Southern Railroad (WSOR) was awarded a grant of up to $2,256,140 and a FRIIP loan of $1,128,070 to rehabilitate five bridges and one mile of track in Janesville. The Wisconsin River Rail Transit Commission, Pecatonica Rail Transit Commission, and East Wisconsin Counties Railroad Consortium have also pledged to support the project financially.
In Reedsburg, WSOR was awarded a grant of up to $3,782,400 and a FRIIP loan of $472,800 to rehabilitate 22 miles of track, replacing 27,550 ties and reconstructing nine public road crossings.
In Crawford, Grant, Iowa, and Sauk counties, WSOR was awarded a grant of up to $2,995,404 and a FRIIP loan of $374,426 to replace four timber bridges on the Prairie Subdivision with new steel trestles, at a cost of $3,744,255
Other awards include a $621,000 grant to rehabilitate two bridges near Lodi and more than $3 million for the city of Madison to replace bridge 259 over Troy Drive with a longer structure to accommodate a wider roadway and sidewalks.