SCRANTON, Pa. — The Pennsylvania Northeast Regional Railroad Authority has been awarded a $400,000 grant for engineering costs associated with restoration of the Lackawanna Cutoff, already under construction in New Jersey.
The Local Share Account grant from the Commonwealth Financing Authority covers engineering costs for construction of track and structures for the passenger rail project.
“For construction to continue engineering and further grant funding will be required and this State grant will provide engineering that is required to continue the completion of the trackage and structures on the project”, said Larry Malski, authority president.
Construction by NJ Transit is currently under way between Port Morris, N.J., and Andover, N.J., with the use of over $60 million in grant funding.
“The remaining 21 miles in New Jersey and Pennsylvania will require state and federal funding to complete the full restoration of the famed Lackawanna Cutoff trackage and complete the through route,” Malski said, “which will be instrumental in taking cars and congestion off of Interstate 80 in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, especially during peak travel periods.”
The $400,000 state grant is in addition to a $300,000 federal grant awarded last year by the Appalacian Regional Commission. That grant is being used to address engineering for the next phase of construction.
More information on the Lackawanna Cutoff project is available at the authority’s website.
