Politics & Government

Quincy-Braintree Rail Project Receives State Grant

The MassDOT Industrial Rail Access Program was created through the 2012 Transportation Bond Bill to provide grants to railroads, rail shippers and municipalities.

A project to replace a railroad bridge with a culvert on the Fore River Railroad in Braintree was among the receipients recently of state grants aimed at improving the rail transportation network in Massachusetts and spurring economic growth.

The bridge, which originally served as a cattle crossing below the railroad, is part of the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority-owned Fore River Railroad that crosses 2.7 miles from Quincy into Braintree. It serves freight customers in the Fore River Shipyard.

The bridge is now "no longer needed and is functionally obsolete," according to a press release from the state. The award from the Industrial Rail Access Program amounts to $342,000, plus a matching $232,244 from the MWRA.

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The MassDOT Industrial Rail Access Program was created through the 2012 Transportation Bond Bill to provide grants to railroads, rail shippers and municipalities who identify a public benefit that will be gained through the improved use of the rail transportation network or that will facilitate economic growth through access to rail assets within the Commonwealth, according to the release.

“As part of the Massachusetts State Rail Plan, we are focused on increasing access for freight rail service to support regional economic growth,” said Lieutenant Governor Murray in a statement. “By investing in these projects, we are upgrading the Commonwealth’s freight rail network which will not only attract new business and jobs, but also promote a more efficient transportation of goods and services.”

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