WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) announced Friday that $28.7 million in funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the Economic Recovery Package, has been allocated for the Burlington Bridge.  The bridge allows the Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway, one of the largest rail networks in North America, to cross the Mississippi River as part of its Chicago to Denver mainline.  The bill included a total of $142 million overall for bridge repairs nationwide.

“Repairing and rebuilding the Burlington Northern Bridge is so much more than an infrastructure project, it means maintaining rail traffic and avoiding a possible block in barge traffic on the Mississippi while creating good construction jobs that are badly needed in Southeast Iowa,” said Harkin.   ”This is a win-win for our state: job creation for working families and a boost to our local economy from needed infrastructure improvements.”   

The funding announced Friday comes in addition to the $26 million Senator Harkin has already secured for the bridge in the regular Appropriations process over several years.  These funds come from the Truman Hobbs Coast Guard Program for the replacement of the portions of bridges that are a hazard to navigation.  In total, Harkin has secured $55 million for the construction of the Burlington Northern RR Bridge.

The design of the bridge has been completed for some time and once BNSF moves forward with their share of the funds, the bridge could be completed within two years providing a substantial number of construction jobs.