Gov. Walker announces nearly $11 million in freight rail awards

MADISON (WITI) -- Governor Scott Walker approved four freight rail improvement projects totaling $10,967,417 in grants and loans Friday, September 13th.The goal of Wisconsin’s freight railroad assistance program is to increase the use of rail transportation and support economic development and job creation.

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) is distributing $9,837,704 in grants through the Freight Railroad Preservation Program (FRPP). FRPP grants cover up to 80 percent of projects designed to preserve freight rail service or rehabilitate track on publicly-owned rail lines. In addition, WisDOT is awarding $1,129,713 in loans through the state’s Freight Railroad Infrastructure Improvement Program (FRIIP). FRIIP is a revolving loan program used to improve rail infrastructure and construct new rail-served facilities.

Recipients of 2013-2014 FRPP grants and FRIIP loans are:

Additional freight railroad assistance program grants and loans may be awarded this year. Since 1993, WisDOT has provided more than $165 million in FRPP grants and more than $119 million in FRIIP loans.

Twelve freight railroads operate in Wisconsin on a system of more than 3,500 miles of track and move an estimated 190 million tons of commodities every year.