AASHTO Journal - Maryland DOT Awards Grants to Support Rail Corridors

The Maryland Department of Transportation recently awarded $1.2 million in grants as part of its inaugural Freight Rail Grant Program, which it launched earlier this year.

[Above photo by Maryland DOT]

This grant program – administered by agency’s Office of Rail and Intermodal Freight – supports local jurisdictions, state agencies, railroads, rail shippers, and other businesses to help preserve railroad corridors, support economic development, foster sustainability, and deploy innovative technologies.

Projects supported by this initial round of funding include rail rehabilitation, resiliency improvements and a feasibility study for extending the rail-trail network on the Eastern Shore.

[Editor’s note: Tactics for expanding and improving freight rail services is one of the many topics being discussed at the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials’ annual Council on Rail Transportation meeting, to be held October 20-23 in Minneapolis.]

“Our inaugural round of grants delivers on the promise of enhancing safety and utilizing state assets to drive economic growth,” said Samantha Biddle, Maryland DOT’s acting secretary, in a statement.

“These selected projects are designed to put Maryland on the right track to support our existing and future freight corridors, and the businesses and communities that benefit from the service,” she said.

Across the country, state departments of transportation provide broad support to the freight rail industry.

For example, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet recently issued $7.5 million worth of grants to six railway projects that aim to maintain and enhance existing freight rail infrastructure.

KYTC said in a statement that this grant funding will support the replacement and rehabilitation of over 30 miles of rail; renew an additional 53 miles of track surface; provide critical maintenance to a lift bridge; and replace turnouts and related components such as spikes, ties, cross ties, tie plates and rail anchors.

And, in early August, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation opened the grant application period for $41 million worth of funding via its Rail Transportation Assistance Program or RTAP and the Rail Freight Assistance Program or RFAP.

The agency said RTAP is a capital budget grant program funded through bonds, while RFAP is funded through the Multimodal Fund created by Act 89 of 2013.

Both programs provide financial assistance for investment in rail freight infrastructure, with the intent of preserving essential rail freight service and stimulating economic growth through new or expanded rail freight service, PennDOT said.