subscribesubscriber servicescontact usabout ussite mapBuy a Classified
Wed, Dec 03 2008 
Breaking News:  BREAKING: John Michael Montgomery to play low-price show at Indiana Theatre  December 03, 2008 12:24 pm

Published: July 29, 2008 10:57 pm    print this story   email this story   comment on this story  

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

By Crystal Garcia
The Tribune-Star

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.

print this story   email this story   comment on this story  

Click to discuss this story with other readers on our forums.





Television Tonight

monster
Premier Guide
Find a business

Walking Fingers
Maps, Menus, Store hours, Coupons, and more...
Premier Guide
Terre Haute News Morning Headlines

Terre Haute ClickLocal

Terre Haute Tribune-Star Newspaper Dial-A-Pro

Terre Haute Tribune-Star Newspaper Live in the Clubs

Terre Haute News on Twitter

Today's Featured Jobs

Surface Coal Miners
Surface Coal Miners
Current MSHA train-
ing. David Stanley
Consultants
Contract Miners
(270
...>MORE

Drivers
TIRED OF THE
EAST COAST??
Get on board, get
miles & get home!
$900-$1000 per week
No Hazmat,<
...>MORE

Quality Assurance Manager
Company in the
Wholesale Food In-
dustry seeking to fill
the position of Qual-
ity Assurance Man-<
...>MORE

See all ads

Today's Featured Autos

01 Kia Rio
01 kia Rio, 4-dr, AT,
112k, excel cond,
35mpg, $3450 230-
4369
...>MORE

93 Buick
93 buick Skylark
Custom V6 auto
front end damage
runs & drives $700.
(812)917-5793
...>MORE

08 BMW
08 bmw X5, 3.0,
6600 mi, white w/sad-
dle brown int, all
opps, Seriour inq only
298-0762 lv msg...>MORE

See all ads

Today's Featured Homes

2 Bdrm NTH for sale
2 bdr, 1 ba remod.
inside & out. All new
elec & plumbing.
NTH area. $62,000
(217)821-3102
...>MORE

1 Bdrm
bdr, util. pd. $395+
$200 Dep. (812)238-
1823 or 240-9520

...>MORE

3 Bdrm East
3 bdr executive rent-
al. Brand new home.
Great Eastside loca-
tion. 1400 sq ft.
$1300/mo 208-2295
...>MORE

See all ads

Today's Cool Stuff

Pelican Fishing boat
Great gift!
pelican fishing
boat, L-10’, B. 61” 37#
trolling motor & bat-
tery, 2 swivel seats, ...>MORE

Ladies Harley Jacket


Harley leather jack-
et, ladies sm, excel
cond., pd over $500
sell $250. 234-6254

...>MORE

Male Boxer pup
male boxer pup,
11 weeks old. $250.
(812)230-8842

...>MORE

See all ads


 

Community Newspaper Holdings, Inc.CNHI Classified Advertising NetworkCNHI News Service
Associated Press content © 2008. All rights reserved. AP content may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Our site is powered by Zope and our Internet Yellow Pages site is powered by PremierGuide.
Some parts of our site may require you to download the Flash Player Plugin.
View our Privacy Policy
Advertiser index