MoDOT, UP, Amtrak, FRA sign agreement for second Bridge over Osage River
Written by jrood
The Missouri Department of Transportation, Union Pacific, Amtrak and the Federal Railroad Administration have signed a service agreement that will allow work to begin on Missouri's first rail infrastructure project funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The signing follows negotiations between Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon's office, MoDOT, Union Pacific and several agencies including the FRA. "This is a project that will alleviate congestion along a vital trade and passenger transportation artery," Gov. Nixon said. The $28.3 million project consists of the construction of a second rail bridge over the Osage River that will eliminate the last single track portion between Jefferson City and St. Louis, Mo. It will also remove the last single-track bottleneck to cause delays for freight and Amtrak trains on the eastern segment of the St. Louis to Kansas City, Mo., corridor. MoDOT anticipates beginning construction in the fall, but prolonged flooding could push the start date into the spring. UP and MoDOT have agreed to further study the St. Louis to Kansas City rail corridor as funding becomes available.
