A U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) grant will be utilized to make enhancements along the Alabama Tennessee River Railway (ATN) between Birmingham and Guntersville.
U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Saks) announced the $4.96 million grant Thursday, which will serve to improve the Ragland railroad crossing that has long caused travel issues for local residents and Ragland High School students.
“The students at Ragland High School are a real example of how anyone, no matter their age, can effect positive change in their community,” said Rogers in a statement. “These students worked hard to make a difference and I was honored to advocate for this grant on their behalf. This railroad crossing poses multiple safety risks for the community and has made students needlessly late for school. This grant will make needed improvements to this crossing to make it safer and more efficient.”
The Ragland High School student council played an instrumental role in advocating for the grant by actively coordinating with city leadership and local stakeholders to resolve issues surrounding the railroad.
Former student council president Jaxon Phillips praised Rogers for his efforts in securing the DOT grant and his active support of the Ragland Safety, Transportation, Education and Mobility (STEM) project.
“This development is going to positively change the direction of our town’s future, and I hope that it set a precedent for student councils across the nation,” stated Phillips. “Students are often neglected when it comes to the consideration of their opinions. STEM has allowed the students of Ragland High School the opportunity to experience the joy of knowing that our elected leaders have heard our voices. I know I’m no longer the President of the Student Council, but as the former President I must say on behalf of the Ragland High School student body and faculty, we thank you for your efforts and your support for STEM.”
According to Rogers’ congressional office, the proposed project would upgrade siding and wye tracks to support increased traffic, eliminating switching across SR-144. The enhancement would rehabilitate the SR-144 grade crossing surface.
Additionally, the investment would reactivate rockslide warning signals to allow for 25 mph train speeds between Birmingham and Ragland and eliminate bridge defects on nine bridge structures to ensure continued 286,000-pound capacity.
Dean Piacente, CEO of ATN parent company OmniTRAX, Inc., spoke to the collaboration which he noted would serve to improve the safety and quality of life for the Ragland community.
“We are focused on helping our customers like National Cement achieve their objectives by expanding our capacity to increase their access to markets across the southeast,” advised Piacente. “We were very happy to work with Rep. Rogers to promote a project that improves safety, improves quality of life in Ragland and improves the competitiveness of our customers.”
Dylan Smith is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @DylanSmithAL
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