By Gwen Sour, The Parkersburg News and Sentinel
PARKERSBURG, W.Va. — In a bipartisan push to enhance West Virginia’s transportation infrastructure, U.S. Senators Shelley Moore Capito and Joe Manchin of West Virginia announced more than $29 million in federal grants to modernize and rehabilitate rail lines throughout the state.
Of those grants, $6.9 million have been allocated to Belpre Industrial Parkersburg Railroad for design and construction activities of two bridges in Parkersburg and Devola.
The funding is made possible through the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) program and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). These grants will bolster two major projects that aim to improve rail safety, efficiency, and resiliency.
“Maintaining and ensuring safe railways is an essential part of our state’s infrastructure, which is why I worked to secure this funding,” said Capito, R-W.Va. “These grants will enable us to modernize our railways and bridges, preparing our state for future economic growth.”
“The funding announced today is a great investment in further connecting West Virginia communities, and I am confident that it will bring more visitors to our great state and spur substantial economic development,” said Manchin, I-W.Va.
