The Federal Railroad Administration announced its first grant funding to states for intercity passenger rail development and planning. The Midwest won big, receiving almost half of the funding; five of the 11 states to receive funding are Midwestern states. Altogether, the five states (Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio and Wisconsin) received funding for seven projects, totaling over $13 million of the $30 million awarded.

The winning projects from the Midwest include:

• Illinois: Two projects for installation of centralized traffic control and cab signals ($3.4 million total);

• Minnesota: Planning study for a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) for new passenger rail service from Minneapolis/St. Paul to Duluth ($1.1 million);

• Missouri: Construction of one passing track and preliminary engineering for a second (to be used by the state-supported St. Louis-Kansas City passenger rail service) eliminating two 20-mile gaps between passing tracks on a primarily unidirectional line ($3.3 million);

• Ohio: Planning project to advance the analysis of alternative routes and station locations for new service between Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati (the "3C corridor") ($62,500); and

• Wisconsin: Two projects - one to replace the last sections of jointed rail on the Milwaukee-Chicago corridor with continuously-welded rail, and the other to continue the planning for the Midwest Regional Rail Initiative ($5.3 total).

Additional information from the FRA:

September 30, 2008, Press Release by U.S. Secretary of Transportation Mary E. Peters Announcing Award of Funding Under the Capital Assistance to States - Intercity Passenger Rail Service Program

Table of FY 2008 Award Recipients

Descriptions of Projects Receiving Awards