$1.8M Awarded for Five Kentucky Rail Infrastructure Projects
Written by Jennifer McLawhorn, Managing Editor
Paducah & Louisville Railroad (Courtesy of Paducah & Louisville)
FRANKFORT, Ky. - $1.8 million in grant funding from the Kentucky Industrial Access and Safety Improvement (KIASI) program will go toward five rail projects across the commonwealth.
According to the governor’s office, the projects will result in improvements to rail infrastructure and an increase in economic activity across Kentucky. This funding is the sixth time KIASI funding has been issued, according to the release. Previously, funds were awarded back in April 2026. As of reporting, $17.3 million in KIASI grants have been awarded during the Beshear administration.
Prospective projects are evaluated by selection committees made up of Kentucky Transportation Cabinet and Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development staff. These committee members then make recommendations after reviewing projects for their capital investment, number of jobs created, project readiness, and improvements to existing rail lines. All five recipients and projects are detailed below.
One of the projects selected was Bowling Green ITA. $460,000 in funding will go toward the rehabilitation of 6,100 feet of rail spur and the installation of flashing-light signals at the Commonwealth Boulevard crossing.
Bowling Green ITA Interim President and CEO Meredith Wilson said, “This KIASI grant is a significant investment in the reliability and safety of our regional freight infrastructure, critical for our advanced manufacturing base. . . Projects like this strengthen our supply chain connections, support existing industry, and signal to prospective companies that Bowling Green is a community that takes its infrastructure seriously. We’re grateful to the Governor’s Office and the Commonwealth for this investment in South Central Kentucky’s economic future.”
Governor Andy Beshear said, “Our railways play a critical role in Kentucky’s economy. . . These investments will not only make railways safer, but they’ll help provide opportunities and good-paying jobs for our people.”
“This grant program has allowed us to make targeted investments in our rail network and industrial access sites that are making a real differences. . . These projects keep access points connected between rail and road, ensure timely performance, limit wear and tear on our roadways, and keep Kentuckians and our commerce moving,” said Transportation Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Goodman.
