[T]he Vermont Agency of Transportation will receive $20 million of federal funding to rehabilitate the state’s railways, bringing with it economic opportunity and reducing the state’s dependence on fossil fuels, officials announced on Friday.
The funding will go towards rebuilding or replacing 31 rail bridges along 53 miles of railway between Rutland and Bennington.
In a statement, Gov. Phil Scott thanked the congressional delegation for securing the funds, and said the improvements to the state’s railways will bring new economic opportunities to Vermont.
“Modernization of the corridor will provide cost-competitive rates for Vermont shippers, most of which are rural businesses, improving economic outcomes for businesses here in Vermont,” Scott said.
The governor’s office projects this will cost $31 million, or $1 million per bridge.
In addition to the $20 million in federal money, the state and Vermont Rail Systems will invest $11 million toward the upgrades.
The federal funds come from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development, or BUILD, grant program.
Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., the vice chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee — which has been working to ensure funding for BUILD was included in the latest appropriations bill — said in a statement that this investment will positively impact Vermont businesses, roads, and the environment.
“By increasing the capacity of the Vermont Railway, Vermont businesses will have better access to rail shipping, which in turn will lead to fewer trucks on our roads,” Leahy said. “As a country and a state we need to prioritize these types of infrastructure investments that will lessen the transportation sector’s reliance on fossil fuels.”
The construction projects will also increase the weight capacity on all 31 bridges, so that more freight can be carried across the state’s southern railways — this was a top priority in the 2015 Vermont State Rail Plan.
With the federal funding, the freight car load weight ratings for the bridges can be updated from the current 263,000 pound weight limit to the industry standard of 286,000 pounds.
Vermont Rail Systems, which operates the Vermont Railway, reports it has often turned away rail traffic because freight cars have carried more weight than the state-owned tracks can handle.
With such a large portion of the southern railway not meeting the freight standard, shippers use trucks to carry goods instead of trains.
Transportation Secretary Joe Flynn said in a statement that the funding will ensure bridges in the southern corridor will be in working order for the next 75 years and that reduced truck traffic will benefit the state’s highways.
“In addition to many economic benefits, the infrastructure improvements will reduce truck traffic along U.S Route 7 and adjacent highways, will enable the expansion of intercity passenger rail, and will ensure a state of good repair for bridges over the next 75-100 years,” Flynn said.
