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Governor Steve Beshear's Communications Office
Governor Beshear announces work to begin on economy-boosting short line railroad improvement project in Kentucky,West Virginia, Tennessee
Governor says ‘will significantly improve’ Appalachian transportation infrastructure
 FRANKFORT, Ky. —Gov. Steve Beshear today announced that work will soon begin on a job-creating and economy-boosting project to improve railroad infrastructure in Kentucky and two other Appalachian states – West Virginia and Tennessee.
With Gov. Beshear’s endorsement and support, the Appalachian Regional Short Line Project, proposed by R.J. Corman Railroad Group, was approved for a $17.5 million grant under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
“This project will significantly improve the transportation infrastructure of Appalachia, which is often neglected, and will create much-needed economic stimulus,” Gov. Beshear said. “In the short term, it will create some badly needed jobs. In the long term, it will be a spur to regional economic development and will promote proven, environmentally friendly transportation.”
The bulk of the grant – $12,964,443 – will fund work in Kentucky. R.J. Corman is putting up a $3,041,111 match and the Commonwealth is contributing $200,000.
In Kentucky, the project will result in improvements to 246 miles of aging short line track along the Memphis, Central Kentucky and Bardstown lines in 12 Kentucky counties – Bullitt, Clark, Fayette, Franklin, Jefferson, Logan, Nelson, Shelby, Scott, Todd, Warren and Woodford. Work will include rail and grade crossings and bridge and tunnel improvements.
“We are eager to begin putting people to work,” said Noel Rush, vice president for public affairs for R.J. Corman Railroad Group. “This important freight rail improvement project would not be starting without the strong leadership of Governor Beshear and Kentucky’s congressional delegation.”
In Kentucky, R.J. Corman’s short lines serve 81 customers and carry more than 28,500 outbound carloads of aluminum, sand and other goods. That has the effect of removing nearly 101,000 trucks from Kentucky roadways each year. Improvements from the project will facilitate locations for new customers and avoid new road congestion and pollution.
Terms of the project are outlined in a grant agreement between the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. The grant was awarded under the Recovery Act’s TIGER program – Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery.
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