The Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) will award $20 million to support six projects designed to improve the state’s freight rail network’s safety, capacity and long-term reliability.
The grants – further supplemented by almost $4 million in private investments – enable a renewed focus on supporting critical freight rail infrastructure across the state. Distributed through the state’s Rail Freight Infrastructure Program, the following projects will receive financial aid through the public-private partnership (P3) approach.
Providence and Worcester Railroad (P&W) will use $4.9 million to replace a rail on the Wethersfield Secondary to carry weight limits up to the current national industry standard. P$W will also replace four grade crossing surfaces and ties and switch ties with ballast and surfacing.
Naugatuck Railroad (NAUG) will spend $4.6 million to replace four grade crossing surfaces in Torrington and upgrade two crossing signals. Additional work will consist of replacing aging and worn rail, installing new ties and switch ties and building a customer turnout and a public track turnout. NAUG also plans to add additional car storage track and replace bridge ties.
Connecticut Southern Railroad (CSO) will receive $4.5 million to repair and rehabilitate the Connecticut River Freight Bridge. In addition, CSO will replace four grade crossing surfaces in East Hartford, worn turnouts and rail in its Hartford yard and rail in Wethersfield.
Housatonic Railroad Company (HRRC) will spend $2.6 million to replace two grade crossing surfaces in New Milford. Additional work will include replacing deteriorated ties along its corridor to enhance the overall state of good repair and mitigate derailment risks.
Pan Am Southern (PAS) will receive $1.8 million to replace rails, install bridge ties, upgrade cross warning devices and improve turnouts. The improvements are designed to extend the rail system’s overall life expectancy while simultaneously upgrading its performance.
New England Central Railroad (NECR) will use $1.6 million to make improvements to grade crossings in Franklin and Windham. The project vision also calls for relocating signal infrastructure, replacing worn rail and repairing both bridge ties and bridge structures.
Photo by Quang Nguyen Vinh from Pexels
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