{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-markey-neal-mcgovern-announce-10-million-of-federal-investment-in-western-massachusetts-freight-line", "Warren, Markey, Neal, McGovern Announce $10 Million of Federal Investment in Western Massachusetts Freight Line", "2018-12-10", "2018", "2018-12", "Democrat", "House", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Federal grant will help modernize the New England Central Railroad main line through Western Massachusetts\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWashington, DC  United States Senators\r\nElizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Edward J.\r\nMarkey (D-Mass.), and Representatives\r\nRichard E. Neal (D-Mass.) and Jim McGovern (D-Mass.) today announced the release of a $10.8\r\nmillion Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) grant to\r\nupgrade the New England Central Railroad main line through Western\r\nMassachusetts. Today, the corridor's infrastructure cannot accommodate the\r\nmodern, North American industry standard weight for freight cars, decreasing\r\nthe amount of cargo that is shipped on this line. Since the mid-2000s, the\r\nprivate sector and state and federal governments have invested more than $80\r\nmillion to modernize the line in Vermont, New Hampshire, and Connecticut. This\r\n$10.8 million BUILD grant will be combined with $9.6 million in state funding\r\nthrough the Massachusetts Department of Transportation and $9.6 million from\r\nthe New England Central Railroad to modernize the remaining link in\r\nMassachusetts, replacing 31 miles of new rail and 20,000 crossties, and\r\nstrengthening 20 bridges.  This federal funding to upgrade\r\nthe New England Central Railroad is crucial for Western Massachusetts freight\r\ntransportation, said Senator Warren. I'm committed to ensuring that the\r\nfederal government is a strong partner for the Commonwealth, and that means\r\nsupporting key infrastructure projects like these, which will increase the\r\nregion's participation in the freight network and spur economic growth.  With this BUILD grant, we can finally close a crucial gap\r\npreventing Massachusetts producers and consumers from enjoying a more\r\nefficient, cost-effect freight network, said Senator Markey, a member of\r\nthe Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee and Environment and Public\r\nWorks Committee. This robust federal investment will create jobs and spur\r\ngrowth and economic activity in the region. From Worcester, to Springfield and\r\nbeyond, this BUILD grant will make the region more competitive in an\r\nincreasingly globalized economy.  As a longtime advocate of both freight and passenger rail,\r\nI am pleased that the industry continues to grow throughout New England, said\r\nRep. Neal. The expansion of rail has created jobs, increased economic\r\ndevelopment and helped improve the quality of life in the region. Freight\r\ncarriers move tons of goods and services over our transportation network each\r\nday. And this $10 million federal\r\ngrant will help upgrade the freight line in western Massachusetts and\r\nsignificantly improve our local transportation infrastructure. It also\r\ncompliments the investment we have made in the north-south passenger rail from\r\nSpringfield to New Haven. It's more good transportation news for the Pioneer\r\nValley.  Modernizing this line will help link businesses here in\r\nMassachusetts and throughout the region to worldwide markets, said Rep.\r\nMcGovern. Our nation's infrastructure is in desperate need of investments\r\nlike this BUILD grant, and I am excited by the prospect of enhanced economic\r\ndevelopment and job growth that this project brings to the Pioneer Valley and\r\nbeyond.  Our administration is pleased to leverage state and\r\nprivate-sector funding with a federal BUILD Grant to improve over thirty miles\r\nof rail line and support economic growth and development throughout the\r\nregion, said Governor Charlie Baker. This project will improve access\r\nto new and existing customers, allow for more goods to be shipped with less energy\r\nand help ensure Massachusetts remains economically competitive with domestic\r\nand international trade partners. We are proud to receive this $10.8 million US Department of\r\nTransportation grant which will be combined with state and private resources to\r\nenhance this rail line and ensure it can accommodate modern freight carloads, said\r\nTransportation Secretary and CEO Stephanie Pollack. This investment will\r\nallow the entire railroad line to be opened to 286,000 lbs. freight cars,\r\nreturn the track to a state of good repair, and help decrease the amount of\r\nfreight shipped on our roadways which reduces congestion and greenhouse gas\r\nemissions.  A great effort by federal, state and local officials in\r\nworking with the New England Central Railroad has resulted in awarding of this\r\ngrant, said New England Central Railroad President Len Wagner. It will\r\nhelp fund much needed improvements to allow the railroad to handle modern,\r\nheavier freight cars over its main line in Massachusetts. This will help\r\nboth current and future freight customers in Massachusetts better compete in\r\ntheir domestic and international marketplaces. A copy of the letter from the lawmakers to Secretary of\r\nTransportation Elaine Chao can be found HERE.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-markey-neal-mcgovern-announce-10-million-of-federal-investment-in-western-massachusetts-freight-line"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.4949149917811155, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}