Downtown Hattiesburg will build a new downtown route along Hall Avenue for a bridge over a rail line and a new rail connection after a federal grant of $5,397,300 was announced Thursday by the Hub City’s congressional delegation.
U.S. Senators Roger Wicker and Cindy Hyde-Smith, along with Rep. Steven Palazzo, said the grant would allow the city of Hattiesburg to construct a new downtown route along Hall Avenue that would include a bridge over the Canadian National north-south rail line. In addition to other safety improvements, the project would also build a new rail connection to a Norfolk Southern railyard to eliminate time-consuming three-point turns that block traffic for up to 45 minutes at a time.
Wicker said the grant was great news for Hattiesburg “and the thousands of Mississippi residents who have found themselves stuck in traffic because of a slowly moving train.”
“This project will provide a much-needed overpass along Hall Avenue for motorists and a streamlined connection for trains that travel through the city each day,” he said. “These upgrades will improve safety and reduce frustrations as the city works to make Hattiesburg a better place to live and work.”
Hyde-Smith praised local officials for their work getting the project green-lighted. “Mayor (Toby) Barker and the city leaders worked hard to earn federal resources for a rail project that will increase public safety, improve traffic, and create a more dynamic downtown,” she said. “Their plan received strong congressional delegation support because we understand the importance of this plan for the residents, businesses and the railroad companies.”
Palazzo said the grant is a game-changer for Hattiesburg. “This grant will reform downtown Hattiesburg’s infrastructure with a rail overpass and reduce train-related traffic delays to improve efficiency and safety for residents and visitors,” he said. “For more than a century, rail lines have been the central piece of the Hub City and this appropriated funding will increase transportation certainty and reliability throughout the city.”
City leaders have worked with members of the Mississippi congressional delegation to identify funding sources for the project. Wicker, Hyde-Smith and Palazzo each wrote letters of support for the city’s application to the U.S. Department of Transportation. Hattiesburg was selected for the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements Program award from among dozens of other projects nationwide.
The city of Hattiesburg will provide a 55 percent local match for the grant, bringing the total estimated project cost to $12 million.