FRA 15-04
Contact: Steve Kulm
Tel.: (202) 493-6024
Thursday, September 30, 2004
Springfield, Missouri Receives FRA Grant To Fund Rail Traffic Studies
The city of Springfield, MO today received a $795,280 grant from the Federal
Railroad Administration (FRA) to examine re-routing rail traffic and building
new highway-rail grade separations.
The grant funds the Railroad Reconfiguration Study, which will develop possible
alternate routes for Burlington Northern Santa Fe, Union Pacific and Missouri
Northern Arkansas trains. It is anticipated that re-routing rail traffic will
benefit economic revitalization in Springfield’s center city and in the Jordan
Valley Park neighborhood.
The grant also funds the Citywide Grade Separation Study, which will study the
creation of highway-rail grade separations at Division Street, Chestnut
Expressway and James River Freeway. Separating highway and rail traffic will
improve safety at these locations, which have seen highway congestion grow with
increased train traffic in recent years.
“These studies will help provide Springfield with more economic opportunities
while reducing traffic delays caused by trains,” said Acting FRA Administrator
Betty Monro.
This grant is being made under the FRA Next Generation High-Speed Rail Program.
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