Secretary Pete Buttigieg (Photo Courtesy: U.S. Department of Transportation)
“And we’re excited to have more where that came from,” said U.S. Dept. of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, on the heels of announcing a historic investment into Nebraska railways.
The Cornhusker Railroad Regional Connectivity Project will be granted up to $15,224,354, through the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) program. This program is under the umbrella of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law passed in November of 2021 which authorized investments up to $108 billion in public transportation.
On Monday morning, Secretary Buttigieg visited Cathcart Rail, located in Grand Island, NE. He toured the facility and met with rail workers and local leaders to deliver the news, “That’s going to mean safety improvements, and it’s going to support jobs in the Grand Island area. It’s one example of why we worked so hard to get this infrastructure legislation through under President Biden’s leadership,” Sec. Buttigieg told KLIN News in an exclusive interview following his tour.
“We’re going to get new track, new interchange siding, new repair facility improvements through this funding. This will, first of all, direct new jobs that come from the expanded rail facility. Secondly, it means fewer delays and safety risks,” Sec. Buttigieg offered for just a few of the ways these investments will impact Nebraskans. For example, new railroad siding (a veering, low-speed track section distinct from the main rail line), the Secretary explained, “means you’re less likely to have a train backed up on the main line, which means you’re less likely to have blocked railroad crossings. That’s not just a headache for folks trying to get somewhere… That’s also a safety problem because you have a lot of emergency vehicles that get stuck when one of those crossings has a train on it for many minutes or even for hours. New siding can help prevent that.”
These advancements will also bolster local and national supply chains. Sec. Buttigieg said the Cornhusker Railroad Regional Connectivity Project will be, “moving renewable fuel, organic foods, animal feed, metals, all of those are products that we count on every day. Part of the cost of the products we all buy at the store is the cost of shipping them. So when you have better railroads, safer railroads, smoother operations, that means lower shipping costs and that means lower costs overall.”
In light of numerous high profile train derailments and disasters, both nationally and locally, railway safety has come into focus across the nation. “One of the best things you can do to keep railroad safe and prevent derailments is to invest in the condition of the physical track,” said Sec. Buttigieg, in agreement that now there’s a greater awareness of railway safety. “Right here in Nebraska, in North Platte a few days ago, there was an explosion in the Union Pacific yard, and there was an evacuation order… That was a very frightening experience for residents.”
Beyond fortifying the current rail infrastructure, Sec. Buttigieg concluded, “We’re also taking other steps to hold these railroad companies accountable on safety, and we’re pushing Congress to do the same.”
Sec. Buttigieg made clear how railways will play a vital role in the future of the nations economy. The significant investments being made in Nebraska’s railway systems will create jobs, enhancing safety, and creating smoother operations. As discussions continue on the future of transportation in the United States, railways will remain a key component of our infrastructure, driving economic growth and connecting communities.