White House offers $1.4bn to upgrade rail infrastructure

© Robert Philip

A $1.4bn infrastructure funding grant from the Biden government is set to strengthen rail supply chains in the US, with investments to fund 70 different projects across 35 states.  

These track upgrades and bridge repairs will not only improve connectivity between railways but will also make routes less vulnerable to extreme weather, creating a more resilient and reliable supply chain, which US DoT secretary Pete Buttigieg said would “lower shipping costs for the American people”. 

Senator Maria Cantwell explained that one project would see a $72.8m upgrade of track and infrastructure for the Palouse River and Coulee City Railroad in Washington state, allowing trains to safely travel twice as fast along the 297-mile route, vastly cutting the delivery time of grain supply. ABC News reports.