Tennessee Department of Transportation Awarded $23.7M for Short Line Railroad Infrastructure

Courtesy of TDOT

NASHVILLE – The Federal Railroad Administration awarded Tennessee Department of Transportation a $23.7 million grant to go toward short line railroad infrastructure.

WMSV reports the Federal Railroad Administration awarded Tennessee Department of Transportation a $23.7 million grant to go toward short-line railroad infrastructure. According to the report, the grant money will upgrade or replace “42 rail bridges that are past their intended lifespan, and in need of immediate repair or replacement.”

Located in rural areas along ten short lines, the bridges are located in 12 counties: Cumberland, Davidson, Dyer, Gibson, Knox, Madison, Marion, Montgomery, Obion, Putnam, Roane, and Smith.  

TDOT Commissioner Butch Eley commented on the grant, stating: “Short lines are critically important components of Tennessee’s multimodal transportation network and to rural economies. . . Rehabilitation of the rail bridge infrastructure will lead to economic gains in the communities they serve with jobs, improved and expanded operations, and enhance supply chain efficiency and safety as it keeps large, heavy cargo and hazardous commodities off our highways.”