Published: July 29, 2008 10:57 pm         

Committee looking for ways to obtain last $800K to relocate a Graham Grain rail line

TERRE HAUTE — Plans are moving ahead to relocate traffic-stalling railroads in Terre Haute and Vigo County.

Members of the Terre Haute/Vigo County Railroad Committee discussed ways Tuesday to obtain the last $800,000 of the $5.8 million project to relocate a Graham Grain line, which has nine crossings including Third Street, Seventh Street, Margaret Avenue and Canal Road.

Money from the city’s Margaret Avenue project that would have been used to build a new crossing has been committed to the project as well as money from the county’s Canal Road project, which totals $4 million. Both CSX and Indiana Railroad have committed $500,000 each.

Train traffic from this track would be moved to Graham’s other track, which doesn’t have as many crossings. The $5.8 million would be used to update that track for the increased traffic as well as to create safe crossings.

Though the Crawfordsville district of the Indiana Department of Transportation could not help with funding, information about the committee’s plans was forwarded to Indianapolis and the INDOT commissioner, from where there’s a chance for some funding. If nothing else, it would alert Gov. Mitch Daniels of the plans, Mayor Duke Bennett explained at the committee’s meeting Tuesday.

Grant applications also are in the works. Representatives from Sen. Richard Lugar’s, R-Ind., Washington D.C. and Indianapolis offices are expected to visit Terre Haute on Aug. 12 for a tour of the city and railroads in question, which Bennett was optimistic about.

“This stuff just takes a while,” Bennett told the committee. “It doesn’t move real quick, but it seems like some of these pieces are kind of lined out for us here to take advantage of some things, at least on this first part of the project.”

In addition, funding received from the Federal Railroad Administration’s Rail Line Relocation and Improvement Program was earmarked to study an east-west CSX line that crosses the campus of Indiana State University. It was originally $450,000, but was reduced to $431,000.

The committee consists of community representatives from Indiana State University, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, the Terre Haute Chamber of Commerce, businesses, railroads as well as a representative from the City Council and county commissioners. Its purpose is to brainstorm, plan and try to get funding to improve the flow of railroad traffic.

As fuel prices increase, it’s expected railroad traffic will increase. Around 60 trains travel through the city per day, according to the group’s minutes from a July 7 meeting. Tuesday was the group’s second meeting.

Crystal Garcia can be reached at (812) 231-4271 or crystal.garcia@tribstar.com.