Indiana Gateway Project receives $71.3 million in federal funds

Written by Jenifer Nunez, assistant editor

The U.S. Department of Transportation awarded $71.3 million to Indiana to help alleviate congestion in one of the region's most delay-prone rail corridors. The Indiana Gateway Project will both relieve congestion and support the development of higher performing intercity passenger rail service in the Midwest.

“The Indiana Gateway Project will create jobs and grow our economy over the long-term by moving people and goods more efficiently than ever before,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “This project will help eliminate severe chokepoints in the region’s rail network while creating capacity to handle future rail demand as our population grows.”

The project is located on 29.3 miles of track owned by Norfolk Southern between Porter, Ind., and the Indiana/Illinois state line and at one location on Amtrak’s line. The improvements will include track reconfiguration and track and signal upgrades, all of which will help improve service reliability while creating jobs and relieving congestion.

“No economy can grow faster than its transportation network allows,” said Federal Railroad Administrator Joseph Szabo. “This investment will eliminate chokepoints and create an environment where intercity passenger trains and freight service can operate fluidly without prolonged delays.”

More than 90 freight trains and 14 Amtrak intercity passenger trains currently travel the area between the Indiana/Illinois state border and Porter, Ind., every day.

The completion of this project will strengthen the Midwest Regional Rail Network, which will connect more than 40 cities in the Midwest. More than 100 million people call the Midwest region home, with the vast majority of residents living within 500 miles of the Chicago rail hub.

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