After years of fits and starts, the U.S. Transportation Department awarded Fort Worth, Texas, a $34 million grant Friday to upgrade the Tower 55 rail intersection near downtown, the Star Telegram reports. Tower 55 is one of the most congested rail intersections in the country. Fort Worth officials had been pushing for years to secure the funding to construct a new north-south rail line there.

"With this transportation grant, Fort Worth will finally see completion of this critical infrastructure safety project," said Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas. "This will also help create good local jobs as the final stages of the Tower are being completed."

The intersection now has two rail lines running east-west and two running north-south. About 112 trains pass through each day, more than the intersection can easily handle. Trains are often queued up on side tracks across Tarrant County, their diesel engines idling, while waiting to go through. Supporters have argued that a third north-south line will reduce diesel emissions, speed up traffic on area roads and make railroad crossings safer.

The federal award comes just short of the $38 million that the Texas Department of Transportation had requested in its application, according to city officials.

Supporters say fixing Tower 55's congestion is a critical first step before the commuter rail system can be expanded.

"Right now, all of our commuter rail is planned on existing track, so getting rid of this bottleneck opens up some possibilities for commuter rail that we just currently don't have," City Manager Dale Fisseler said.

Officials with BNSF and Union Pacific hailed the announcement as significant progress. Matthew Rose, CEO of Fort Worth-based BNSF, called the project a "monumental infrastructure upgrade."

"We are proud to be headquartered here in Fort Worth where such extensive community involvement and collaboration makes these types of projects possible," Rose said. "Improvements to Tower 55 will make this vital rail intersection safer for pedestrians, more efficient for shippers, and more convenient for commuters."

Raquel Espinoza, a spokeswoman for Union Pacific, said, "it is promising news for North Texas. This public/private partnership will help increase safety and help us operate more efficiently."