Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Governor Joe Lombardo, and Congressman Mark Amodei (R-Nev.-02) announced that the Nevada Department of Transportation is receiving over $28 million to design and construct improvements on the Union Pacific Railroad Overland Route at the Elko Yard to enhance the safety, capacity, and efficiency of the rail network and promote resiliency and economic development in the region. Thanks to this funding, the improvements slated to be made include Amtrak passenger station upgrades, rail crossover construction, and track extension. The funding was authorized by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which Senators Cortez Masto and Rosen helped pass.
“Nevada’s railroad network is a vital part of rural Nevada’s economy, and I am pleased to have secured this funding to help improve the Elko region’s railway infrastructure to be safer and more accessible for Nevadans and tourists alike,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “In serving all of Nevada, I’ll continue working to ensure rural Nevada communities have the resources and support they need to drive their economy forward.”
“The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that I helped write and pass continues bringing funding to Nevada to deliver for our state and support our economic development,” said Senator Rosen. “I’m proud to announce $28 million dollars is coming to make critical safety and efficiency improvements to the Union Pacific Railroad network in Elko and support critical sectors of our economy like mining, ranching, and agriculture.”
“Over the past year, Nevada has led the nation in annual job growth and generated $5 billion in new economic investment,” said Governor Joe Lombardo. “This new federal funding will help improve our transportation infrastructure in Elko, so that we can continue to grow and diversify our economy in rural Nevada.”
“This project will not only enhance the economic vitality of Elko County, but it will also enable Nevadans to move as safely and efficiently as possible,” said Congressman Amodei. “In a state as economically diverse and expansive as Nevada, the common-sense improvements supported by this project will go a long way to enhance accessibility and encourage economic development, and I thank the U.S. Department of Transportation for its support.”
Senators Cortez Masto and Rosen and Congressman Amodei have been urging the Department of Transportation to strongly consider the NDOT grant application for the Elko Nevada Rail Corridor Enhancement Project. Last year, they all wrote a letter to Secretary Buttigieg in support of this project.
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