FIVE NEW PROJECTS WILL INCREASE SAFETY AND UPGRADE RAIL LINES IN OHIO

The Ohio Rail Development Commission (Rail Commission) announced today that five Ohio rail projects will move forward thanks to a mix of federal, state, local, and private funding.

The projects include upgrading infrastructure, improving safety at rail crossings, and expanding rail capacity in the state.

“These projects would not have been possible without the additional resources provided to us from Governor DeWine and the General Assembly in the last budget. Our $3.7 million contribution was able to secure over $36 million invested into Ohio’s rail system. These projects will help railroads in Ohio move freight safer and more efficiently,” said Matthew Dietrich, Executive Director, Ohio Rail Development Commission.

The five projects are:

• Rural Freight Railroad Improvements NOW – This project will upgrade track infrastructure across the 24-mile rail line owned by the Sandusky County-Seneca County-City of Tiffin Port Authority and operated by the Northern Ohio & Western Railway. The total project cost is $8 million. The FRA award is for $6.4 million. The Rail Commission and the Port Authority will contribute the 20 percent non-Federal match of $800,000 each.
• Rural Ohio-Appalachian Rail Rehabilitation (ROARR) – This project includes track rehabilitation and grade crossing improvements at two locations on the R.J. Corman Railroad Group, LLC’s Cleveland Line in Summit, Stark, and Tuscarawas Counties. The total project cost is $4.9 million. The FRA award is $3.2 million. The Rail Commission and R.J. Corman will contribute the 35 percent non-Federal match; $244,000 from the Rail Commission and $1.5 million from RJ Corman.
• Cincinnati Rail Congestion Mitigation Plan – This project will develop the Cincinnati Rail Congestion Mitigation Plan; a planning project to be undertaken by the Rail Commission in partnership with Norfolk Southern Railway Company (NS), CSX Transportation, Inc. (CSX), Indiana & Ohio Railway Company, and the Central Railroad of Indiana. The total project is estimated at $2 million. The FRA award is $1.6 million. The project will develop a regional rail plan aimed at improving railroad fluidity and addressing blocked crossing concerns in and around Queensgate Yard in Cincinnati, Ohio. The Rail Commission, NS, and CSX will contribute the 20 percent non-Federal match; $200,000 from the Rail Commission and $100,000 each from NS and CSX.
• Panhandle Upgrade and Capacity Project in Central Ohio – This project will upgrade the track infrastructure, expand capacity of Newark Yard, and install trespass prevention measures on the Columbus & Ohio River Rail Road (CUOH) line. The total project is estimated at $19.8 million. The FRA award is for $12.9 million.  This project will increase capacity on the state-owned Panhandle Line and CUOH’s Cambridge Subdivision to accommodate future growth and promote more resilient infrastructure for communities in central and eastern Ohio. The Rail Commission and CUOH will contribute the 35 percent non-Federal match; $1.7 million from the Rail Commission and $5.2 million from CUOH.
• Napoleon, Defiance & Western Railway: Critical Safety Upgrade, Phase 3 – This project will replace deteriorating and broken rail and ties and expand capacity along the eastern half of the Napoleon, Defiance & Western Railway (NDW). The total project is $16.2 million. The FRA award is $12.2 million. This project is the third and final phase of the full corridor rehabilitation of NDW track. The project will improve safety, resilience, and operational efficiency which will benefit rail customers and service in Paulding and Defiance Counties. The Rail Commission and NDW will contribute the 25 percent non-Federal match, $750,000 from the Rail Commission and $3.2 million from the railroad.

The projects are funded using $36.2 million in Consolidated Rail Infrastructure & Safety Improvement (CRISI) grants from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), $10.9 million in railroad and port authority funds, and $3.7 million in state matching funds.