Congressional committees finalize 2017 small FASTLANE grants

Written by Mischa Wanek-Libman, editor
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A 2012 tie rehab project on the South Orient Rail line.
Texas Department of Transportation

All projects recommended by the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) for grants as part of the Fostering Advancements in Shipping and Transportation for the Long-term Achievement of National Efficiencies (FASTLANE) program have been approved by Congress.

 

The grants are authorized under the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act and were first recommended by USDOT in August 2017. Following a 60-day review, the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works approved the small project grants.

Rail specific and rail related projects across six states will be awarded $56.57 million in funds, which represents more than 70 percent of the $79 million in projects selected by USDOT.

The projects with approved funds include:

  • $9.9 million for the Northern Columbia Basin Rail Road Project at the Port of Moses Lake in Grant County, Wash.
  • $9.85 million for the Ports of Indiana to construct a series of efficiency-enhancing improvements.
  • $8.67 million to Taylor County Florida for the Competitiveness & Employment by Rail Project.
  • $7.89 million to the Maine Department of Transportation for the Maine Railroad Bridge Capacity project.
  • $7.54 million to the North Central Mississippi Regional Railroad Authority for improvements and repairs to a rail line between Grenada and Canton.
  • $7 million to the Texas Department of Transportation to repair the Presidio-Ojinaga International Rail Bridge and rehabilitate approximately 72 miles of South Orient Railroad.
  • $5.72 million to the city of Akron, Ohio, for the Evans Avenue Railroad Grade Separation Improvements project.

 

The projects selected are part of the Small Project Fiscal Year 2017 FASTLANE grants. USDOT is accepting applications until Nov. 2 for FY2017 Large Project grants and FY2018 Large and Small Projects under the Infrastructure Rebuilding America (INFRA) Grants program.

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