WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Springfield Terminal Railway Company has been awarded a total of $16,876,760 for infrastructure upgrades and rail crossing safety improvements through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Railroad Administration’s Fiscal Year 2020 Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements Program.

The investment will support important infrastructure improvements to increase the safety, efficiency, and reliability of freight rail in Penobscot, Somerset, Waldo, and Kennebec counties, said a news release. 

Through this project, Springfield Terminal Railway Company will replace approximately 75 miles of rail, install 55,000 ties, upgrade 72 grade crossings, and strengthen five bridges in Maine between Waterville and Mattawamkeag.

The CRISI program invests in much-needed infrastructure in rural America. By directing at least 25 percent of available funds towards rural communities, the Department is able to safely connect and upgrade rural America’s rail infrastructure.