Governor Josh Shapiro Directs $110 Million for Critical Rail Bridge and Freight Corridor Hardening

HARRISBURG, PA — Governor Josh Shapiro joined transportation officials and labor leaders in Harrisburg on Tuesday to announce a $110 million state investment dedicated to rehabilitating 35 high-priority railway bridges and expanding heavy-axle freight track capacity across Pennsylvania.

The funding, distributed through PennDOT's Rail Transportation Assistance Program (RTAP) and the Rail Freight Assistance Program (RFAP), targets aging rail infrastructure that connects regional manufacturers, chemical producers, and agricultural processors to global East Coast ports.

Securing Critical Supply Chain Arteries Pennsylvania possesses the highest concentration of operating short-line freight railroads in the United States, with many bridge structures dating back to the early 20th century.

"Pennsylvania was built on manufacturing, agriculture, and energy, and none of those industries can thrive without a world-class freight rail network," Governor Shapiro stated at the Pennsylvania Rail Freight terminal. "By investing $110 million today to repair aging bridges and upgrade track capacity, we are creating good-paying union jobs, keeping heavy trucks off our congested highways, and ensuring Pennsylvania products move safely to market."

Key Infrastructure Project Highlights

• Monongahela Valley Bridge Hardening: $28 million to replace fatigued structural steel spans and piers on three freight bridges carrying steel coils and manufacturing chemicals across the Monongahela River.
• Central PA Heavy Rail Expansion: $34 million to upgrade 65 miles of continuous welded rail across the Lycoming and Clinton county industrial corridors to support standard 286,000-pound freight car loadings.
• Port of Philadelphia Intermodal Direct Rail: $22 million for grade separation and double-track siding at the Packer Avenue Marine Terminal, speeding up container rail transfers.

Environmental and Economic Benefits PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll emphasized that transitioning bulk freight from highway trucks to modernized rail corridors will reduce carbon emissions by over 60,000 metric tons annually while significantly reducing highway maintenance costs on I-80 and I-76.