Peterson Secures $5 million for Railroad Underpasses in Moorhead

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) - Congressman Collin Peterson announced that the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (TEA-LU) bill that includes $5 million for the Southeast Main Ave./20th Street/21st Street Grade Separation project for Moorhead.

“This project is the component to the City’s overall Comprehensive Rail Safety Program”, Peterson said. “I took the project information to House Transportation Committee Chairman Don Young (AK) and Ranking Member Jim Oberstar (MN-8) and convinced them of its importance.”

Peterson continued, “Because most federal money for transportation projects is allocated by Minnesota’s State Department of Transportation the money doesn’t always get out to rural areas like it should. I convinced Chairman Young and Congressman Oberstar to set aside funds for this project the federal money will go directly to the local community’s priorities without getting sidetracked in St. Paul.

The project will reconstruct the railroad crossing area to provide greater safety and traffic capacity while still accommodating the more than 70 freight trains and pass through the community each day. Underpasses will be constructed to convey roadway traffic safely beneath the railroad tracks with no exposure to train traffic.

Peterson said, “I congratulate City leaders who have taken on the problems of major freight train traffic and worked to revitalize the economy of downtown at the same time.”

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