LEWISBURG – State money for rail projects will soon be flowing into the Valley. The State Transportation Commission approved $36 million for two PennDOT managed grant programs. SEDA-COG Joint Rail Authority received $3.5 million for six bridge reconstruction projects.
Jeff Stover, JRA executive director, tells WKOK three of the bridges are on Valley railroads. The North Shore Railroad will see two bridge improvements including a replacement of one near Catawissa and an upgrade to another near the Montour/Columbia County line. On the Shamokin Valley Railroad, a bridge upgrade will be done near Paxinos.
The JRA owns five short line railroads comprising nearly 200 miles of track in eight Pennsylvania counties. In announcing the awards, Governor Tom Wolf said, “The investments underscore our role in supporting jobs and economies across the state.” Wolf estimates 9,200 jobs will be created over the next five years due to these rail projects.
