HARRISBURG, PA — In case you missed it, Pennsylvania is pouring nearly $53 million into its rail freight network, backing 30 projects across the Commonwealth that state officials say will strengthen supply chains, boost economic competitiveness, and create or sustain an estimated 450 jobs.
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation announced the investments will be funded through the Rail Transportation Assistance Program and the Rail Freight Assistance Program, reinforcing what the Shapiro administration describes as a long-term strategy to modernize infrastructure that connects businesses, communities, and global markets.
State officials said Pennsylvania is unique nationally, remaining the only state with a dedicated rail freight grant program. Since 2023, the administration has invested more than $150 million into freight rail improvements, at a time when Pennsylvania is also the only state in the Northeast with a growing economy, according to Moody’s.
PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll said the rail network underpins family-sustaining jobs while driving local and regional economic development, adding that expanding and improving the system will deliver long-term benefits for future generations.
Pennsylvania has 65 operating railroads — more than any other state — and roughly 5,600 miles of freight rail lines. PennDOT said it continues to work closely with private rail operators and rail-served businesses to build new lines and upgrade aging infrastructure critical to manufacturing, logistics, and energy sectors.
The newly approved projects span nearly every region of the Commonwealth. In western Pennsylvania, millions will go toward replacing rail, ties, and bridges across multi-county corridors served by Buffalo & Pittsburgh Railroad, Pittsburgh & Ohio Central Railroad, and Wheeling & Lake Erie Railway. Southeastern projects include track and siding upgrades in Berks, Chester-adjacent areas, and Philadelphia, where improvements are planned at PhilaPort and industrial unloading facilities.
Central and northern counties will see investments in bridge rehabilitation, new rail spurs, siding construction, and grade crossing improvements designed to support manufacturing plants, quarries, transloading facilities, and distribution centers. Projects range from replacing miles of jointed rail with welded rail to installing modern turnouts, rehabilitating bridges, and constructing new sidings to increase capacity.
Among the largest awards, $5.9 million will rehabilitate three rail bridges in Washington County, $4 million will upgrade more than 200 miles of track across multiple counties, and $3.4 million will restore a major bridge in Susquehanna County. Several projects also focus on improving safety at grade crossings and increasing efficiency at rail-served industrial sites.
State officials said the breadth of projects reflects the role freight rail plays in keeping Pennsylvania’s economy moving — from heavy industry and agriculture to ports, logistics hubs, and advanced manufacturing.
With dozens of projects now moving forward, PennDOT said the latest round of funding positions Pennsylvania’s rail system as a competitive advantage, helping businesses move goods more efficiently while anchoring jobs and investment in communities across the Commonwealth.
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