Union Pacific allots $55 million for track, $10 million for bridge maintenance in Iowa this year

Union Pacific plans to spend $68 million in Iowa rail this year to improve its infrastructure. The state-spending plan is part of the Class 1's $3.1-billion 2017 capital program.

 $55 million of the Iowa budget will go toward maintaining track, while $10 million will to toward bridge maintenance. UP plans to spend $5 million investment in the rail line between Garden City and Bradford to replace 25 miles of rail. Another $10 million investment will replace the bridge over Abbe Creek in Bertram.

“Union Pacific’s targeted investments fund projects that strengthen our railroad tracks, increase safety and minimize delays as trains travel through communities across Iowa,” said Donna Kush, Union Pacific vice president – Public Affairs, Northern Region. “Maintaining a healthy railroad is the foundation of our ability to serve customers and communities across the state.”
This year’s planned $68 million capital expenditure in Iowa adds to the more than $330 million the railroad has invested in the state between 2012 and 2016.

Read more about Union Pacific’s infrastructure investment plans in Arizona, Idaho, Colorado, Illinois, Missouri, Wyoming, Utah, Oklahoma, Kansas, Oregon, Nevada, Arkansas, Louisiana, Nebraska and California on RT&S.