Oxford, AL – Today, U.S. Representative Mike Rogers (R-AL-03) announced a $4,962,110.00 grant from the Department of Transportation to make safety improvements to the Alabama Tennessee River Railway (ATN) between Birmingham and Guntersville, AL. Rep. Rogers previously called on the Department of Transportation to approve this grant.

“The students at Ragland High School are a real example of how anyone, no matter their age, can effect positive change in their community. These students worked hard to make a difference and I was honored to advocate for this grant on their behalf,” Rep. Rogers said. “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.”

“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,” Former Ragland High School Student Council President, Jaxon Phillips said. “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.”

"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. 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,” Dean Piacente, CEO of OmniTRAX, Inc., parent company of the ATN, said.

Description of the grant:
The proposed project will make a series of improvements on the Alabama Tennessee River Railway (ATN) between Birmingham and Guntersville, AL. The project includes upgrading siding and wye tracks that can handle increased traffic, eliminating switching across SR-144, rehabilitating the SR-144 grade crossing surface, reactivation of rockslide warning signals to allow for 25 mph train speeds between Birmingham and Ragland, and elimination of bridge defects on nine bridge structures to ensure continued 286,000-pound capacity. The project is expected to increase capacity, speed, efficiency, and eliminate safety risks posed by rail switching operations across SR-144. The project qualifies for the statutorily required set-aside for rural investment.

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