Feds award $27 million for safer rail crossings in Oklahoma

 

The Federal Railway Administration has awarded nearly $27 million in grants for safer railroad crossings and the elimination of congestion on railroads in Oklahoma.

U.S. Sen. James Lankford played a role in securing funding for these grants by sending the US Federal Railroad Administrator Amit Bose letters of support outlining the need for each project.

“Oklahomans know how vital rail service is to our economy, but trains should not block an ambulance or prevent us from getting to work or school on time. These new grants will increase safety and access for each affected community,” said Lankford.

The grants awarded to the Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT) and the City of Claremore will provide $25.4 million for the Occupied Crossing Mitigation Project in Davis, OK, $1.2 million for the Mannford Railroad Crossing Planning Project to Improve Basin Road Connection, $400,000 for the Prioritizing Crossings to Save Lives in Central Oklahoma Project, and $424,000 for the Claremore Rail Corridor Revitalization: Enhancing Mobility and Safety for a Connected Community Project.