USDOT Awards $10 Million Grant for Posey County Rail Project
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – The U.S. Department of Transportation Tuesday announced a $10 million grant to rebuild approaches to the Maunie Railroad Bridge in Posey County. U.S. Senator Todd Young (R-Ind.), along with U.S. Senator Joe Donnelly (D-Ind.), Rep. Larry Bucshon (R-Ind.), and Rep. John Shimkus (R-Ill.), offered support for the TIGER grant in a letter to U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao in November 2017.
“The rehabilitation of this bridge will stimulate new economic opportunities for southwest Indiana,” Senator Young said. “I’m proud to support this project and grateful to the Department of Transportation for investing in Indiana infrastructure.”
Donnelly said, “The Maunie Railroad Bridge is critical to connecting southwest Indiana to markets across our country. I’ve been a proud supporter of this project for many years and am very pleased that this major investment is coming to Posey County, where it will benefit the entire region’s economy”
“The Maunie Railroad Bridge in Posey County is an example of the need for renewed investment in our nation’s infrastructure,” Dr. Bucshon said. “I’m pleased that the Department of Transportation is making this investment to help rehabilitate the approaches to the bridge. With this investment, the bridge will continue to play an important role facilitating economic activity in Southwest Indiana for the years to come.”
“The Maunie Railroad Bridge connecting Illinois and Indiana across the Wabash River is critical to the economy is southern Illinois,”Shimkus said. “I was proud to support the funding request for this important infrastructure project.”
“TIGER grants are direct federal investments in projects that will improve our surface transportation at the national, regional or local level,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao said.
The Maunie Railroad Bridge was built in 1926 and timber approaches on both the Indian and Illinois sides of the bridge are in dire need of replacement. The bridge provides a critical link between coal miners, farmers, refiners, manufacturers and river ports located along the Evansville Western Railway (EVWR).