Funding for upgrades should keep rail systems on track for the future

The $31 million Missouri received in federal grant funding for railroad upgrades should prepare the state’s rail system for the future and employ nearly 200 people, Missouri Department of Transportation officials said.

President Barack Obama announced last week the state would receive $31 million for upgrading the rail system between Kansas City and St. Louis as part of an $8 billion investment to aid 13 rail corridors in 31 states. Illinois also received about $1.1 billion to develop a high-speed rail line between Chicago and St. Louis.

Rod Massman, administrator of railroads for MoDOT, said the $31 million for rail upgrades in Missouri should support about 190 jobs, improve performance on state railroads and pave the way for a high-speed line across the state in the coming years.

The $31 million in grant funding will be used to complete three immediate projects, including a bridge that will create a second rail line across the Osage River in mid-Missouri, a crossover in Kirkwood and several crossing upgrades on the line between Sedalia and Lee’s Summit designed to improve safety.

“That section between Sedalia and Lee’s Summit has the greatest concentration of crossings without lights and gates,” Massman said. “These safety improvements are important if we are eventually going to increase the speed of trains.”

Lisa Lamons, MoDOT railroad operations manager, said the completion of those initial projects will leave the state with about $3 million in grant funding, which will be used for environmental and design studies for several additional state rail upgrades. Among those is the planned rail siding near Knob Noster, which is similar to the recently completed 9,000-foot rail passing siding near California, Mo.

Lamons said the design for the siding in Knob Noster has already been completed, but the additional grant money will be used to conduct an environmental study for the project. No timeline has been established for the rail upgrade near Knob Noster.

The projects utilizing the federal grant funding are expected to improve on-time performance and lay the groundwork for upcoming improvements. Lamons said although on-time performance has spiked in recent months as freight usage declined due to economic conditions, the planned upgrades should prepare the system to continue performing well once the usual freight traffic returns.

“What these will do when freight traffic picks up, you won’t see a decline in on-time performance,” Lamons said.
These projects also will prepare the system for an eventual upgrade to a high-speed line, Massman said.

Missouri Democratic members of Congress U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill and U.S. Rep. Ike Skelton released statements applauding the state’s receipt of funding for railroad upgrades.

McCaskill said the substantial investment in the state’s rail system will prepare Missouri for an upgrade to a high-speed rail and provide faster rail service across the state.

“It represents a boon for our local and regional economy, helping to create jobs and move goods, services and people across the Midwest.” McCaskill said. “This stimulus money further shows that Missouri projects can compete for and earn federal funding without relying on the earmark process.”

Skelton said as important as the railroad is to Missouri’s history, the state must look to the future and the economic potential of high speed rail. He said the $31 million allotted for railroad improvements will bolster the economy in towns like Sedalia, Jefferson City, and Warrensburg with investments that are necessary for future economic development.

“Since these projects create construction jobs in the short-term while opening doors for long-term economic development, I eagerly supported Missouri’s request for this funding and am pleased the Transportation Department has come through for the Show-Me State,” Skelton said.

Republican U.S. Sen. Christopher “Kit” Bond, however, expressed skepticism about the significant level of stimulus funding released for railroads across the country.

“This past summer the message the (Obama) Administration gave me on their plans to spend stimulus dollars was — Congress wrote them a blank check, no oversight necessary,” Bond said in an e-mailed statement to the Associated Press. “I hope after his renewed commitment to transparency (Wednesday), the president will start by shining sunlight on the $8 billion he’s spending on high-speed rail.”

— Associated Press writer Jim Salter contributed to this report