07 December, Burlington VT – Vermont Agency of Transportation’s Vermont Regional Freight Rail Corridor Upgrade Project was awarded $20,000,000 toward a ~$32 million (total) project to upgrade 31 railroad bridges to the national 286K standard. VRS and VTrans will contribute the additional ~$12 million to the project. {USDOT Announcement, 11.Dec.2018}

The bridges are spread along the southern 53-mile section of the VRS Western Corridor, between Rutland-Bennington-Hoosick (NY). Without the upgrades, the line would need to close to service by 2025 {USDOT 2018 BUILD Grants Fact Sheet}.

The project is a good example of how competitive freight rail infrastructure improves public safety and reduces road maintenance costs. The primary freight transportation alternative is US Route 7, a rural road that is a two-lane, undivided road for most of its length in the state. Inherently extreme road wear is aggravated by trucks extreme, and common winter fog/snow/ice conditions make car-truck interaction often too close for comfort.