Dozens of aging U.S. rail bridges and tracks have been chosen to receive $1.4 billion in federal grants for repairs and upgrades, with businesses and rail commuters expected to benefit from these funds as early as next year, the Wall Street Journal reported. The 70 approved projects, including around 40 that involve bridges, were judged on how they would improve safety, increase capacity of both freight and passenger railroads, and bring economic benefits to the country, officials in the Biden administration said in a briefing. The Federal Railroad Administration said that it received 234 eligible applications with requests totaling $6.1 billion for the grants. There are more than 70,000 railroad bridges in the U.S. The selected projects span 35 states and the District of Columbia. “I think across the country it’s fair to say that people look at America’s rail system and correctly say that it needs improvement,” said Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, pointing to derailments on freight lines, protracted blocked crossings and lagging intercity passenger rail.
