(GEORGIA NEWS NETWORK CONTRIBUTED TO THIS STORY)
Georgia has been awarded $3.4 million in grants from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Railroad Administration to fund four rail projects, including one each in Hall County and Cornelia. The grants are aimed at addressing blocked railroad crossings and stalled trains and improving safety, mobility, and access to services while reducing the risks of train-related injuries and fatalities.
Cornelia is getting $1.1 million for construction of a pedestrian bridge over the Norfolk Southern tracks that “separate the city’s historic downtown from parking and community services.” The city will contribute 20 percent of the cost of the project.
Hall County is getting $319,360 – with a 20 percent local match – for “project planning” and includes evaluating and recommending safety improvements to the Navajo Circle crossing. The project will assess various alternatives to improve the crossing including grade separation and railroad track relocation. The county will be responsible for 20 percent of the total cost.
The other Georgia projects are in Atlanta and Powder Springs.
You can read more about each of these projects and all 231 projects nationwide included in the one-point-one-billion-dollar allocation here:
FY23-24 Railroad Crossing Elimination (RCE) Grant Program Selections | FRA