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City of Peru and Illinois Railway Awarded Federal Grant

[ June 27, 2019   //   ]

The City of Peru, Illinois and OmniTRAX, Inc., one of the largest privately held transportation service companies in North America and an affiliate of The Broe Group, will receive a grant for extensive trackwork on the OmniTRAX-managed Illinois Railway (IR). The Peru Intermodal, Safety, Congestion, and Energy Security Project, Phase II (PISCES II) is being awarded a $6,081,036.00 grant as part of the federal government’s FY 18 Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements Grant Program.
The grant is for the capstone project of a long-term public-private partnership between the City of Peru and OmniTRAX, resulting in a dramatically safer community and a more efficient transport network. It will improve crossing surfaces and install 25 miles of 115-pound rail, 20,000 ties and seven switch sets, and 7,600 tons of ballast along the 17-mile corridor on the IR’s La Salle sub from Peru to Zearing, Illinois, enabling economic growth and new jobs for the central Illinois region.

“We are very excited to be involved with this generational investment in the central Illinois rail network and appreciate the efforts of both the local and federal governments, particularly the state’s two US senators and Rep. Adam Kinzinger who have supported the grant from its initiation. It’s projects like this, based on mutual benefit for all stakeholders, that are a shining example of how government and business can work together effectively,” said Kevin Shuba, CEO of OmniTRAX.

The first two elements of the project, which were funded by the Illinois Department of Transportation and local sources, provided easier access to the truck-to-rail transload facility, pulled traffic away from downtown Peru and built a new access road and rail siding. Construction for the latest component will be administered by the Federal Railroad Administration, will likely start in 2020 and will take several months to complete.

 

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