ST. LOUIS — The Federal Railroad Administration has awarded a $28.8 million grant for repairs of a key railroad bridge in St. Louis.
The grant to the Terminal Railroad Association of St. Louis is one of 45 rail projects receiving Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements grants, as announced Tuesday. [See “FRA awards $326 million in grants to 45 rail projects,” Trains News Wire, June 12, 2019.] It will allow replacement of the main span girders on the MacArthur Bridge, a 677-foot structure across the Mississippi River which began construction in 1909 and was not completed until 1917. The current spans date to 1912.
Replacement of the spans is a $57.3 million project, with the TRRA, owned by the five Class I railroads serving St. Louis, providing the remainder of the funds. The grant announced Tuesday follows a $7.1 million grant in 2017 to replace the west approach to the bridge, the Broadway Street Truss. The two grants will extend the life of the bridge — the primary St. Louis-area rail crossing of the Mississippi — to approximately 2085 and bring the structure up to current standards, according to a TRRA press release.
“This grant shows the ongoing commitment of the Federal Railroad Administration to providing critical public investments in the St. Louis area and U.S. economy. The awarded funds are critical to maintaining the current level of service to cargoes shipped by rail and passengers on Amtrak, which in turn reduces congestion and wear and tear on the region’s highways”, TRRA President Mike McCarthy said in a press release.
The grant was also hailed by Amtrak, which uses the bridge for its Lincoln Service and Texas Eagle.
“At Amtrak, we believe services such as our Amtrak Midwest network are what the future of passenger rail service looks like: safe, relevant and reliable, connecting major markets such as St. Louis with Chicago and Kansas City”, Joe McHugh, Amtrak vice president, state supported services, said in a statement. “We are proud to partner with the States of Illinois and Missouri and are looking forward to working with the TRRA to accomplish the next steps.”
