The U.S. Department of Transportation is awarding more than $17 million to rehabilitate the Rockport railroad bridge in the Green River Area Development District.
The railroad bridge spans the Green River between Ohio and Muhlenberg counties in Kentucky, according to a Sept. 13 report from 14 News. The funds come from the Infrastructure for Rebuilding America program designed to award competitive grants for freight and highway projects.
"The 100-year-old Rockport Railroad Bridge in rural Kentucky is a vital link for the transportation of important commodities that support our everyday lives," Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a Nov. 12 Twitter post. "Our $17.3M grant will rehabilitate the bridge, strengthening supply chains."
The current Rockport bridge is 100 years old and serves as the main rail line in Ohio County for the Paducah and Louisville Railway. According to 14 News, the line services more than 110,000 freight carloads each year.
The bridge also serves as a "critical link" in the supply chains delivering military equipment to Fort Knox, 14 News reported. It also allows the movement of coal to coal to Louisville Gas & Electric and raw materials to manufacturers all along the railroad’s 260-mile span.
The grant funds will be used to replace the bridge's deck, improve the approaches to the bridge and upgrade its mechanical and electrical components that allow the bridge to rise and accommodate river traffic, 14 News reported.
The INFRA program is part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which was passed with the support of Sen. McConnell and signed into law last November by President Joe Biden, according to 14 News. McConnell helped secure $3.2 billion for the program.
