The City of Harrisonburg has been awarded up to $240,000 in federal funding to study the potential relocation of Norfolk Southern rail lines from the city center and James Madison University area. The grant, announced by the U.S. Department of Transportation as part of the Railroad Crossing Elimination Program, will support planning activities to evaluate moving approximately 3.1 miles of track to improve safety and connectivity in the urban core.
The planning study will examine alternatives for relocating the rail line that currently intersects numerous heavily-traveled corridors throughout Harrisonburg. The project aims to eliminate 10 highway-rail crossings and nine pathway-rail crossings in densely populated areas, significantly enhancing safety for vehicles and pedestrians while improving traffic flow. The study will also evaluate options for reducing rail conflicts in the urban core while maintaining freight connections that support the region’s economy.
A partnership between the City of Harrisonburg, Rockingham County, and James Madison University will provide the required 20 percent non-federal match for the planning grant. The project qualified for both the planning projects and rural areas set-asides within the federal program.
For more information about this and other transportation projects awarded as part of the Federal Railroad Crossing Elimination Program, please visit: https://www.transportation.gov/briefing-room/investing-america-biden-harris-administration-announces-over-11-billion-new-rail