The U.S. Department of Transportation is going to spend nearly $9 million to help upgrade the railroad network in western Vermont.
Gov. Peter Shumlin and Federal Railroad Administration Administrator Joe Szabo are planning to discuss the issue Thursday afternoon in Burlington.
The Vermont grant is one of 52 projects in 37 states that were announced Thursday by U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx.
Vermont rail officials have worked for years to upgrade the railroad network from Bennington to Burlington to improve the connection with rail lines in New York.
Earlier this year the New England Central Railroad, most of which is in eastern Vermont, completed a series of track upgrades with help of a $50 million federal stimulus grant. Rail beds, bridges and tracks were upgraded for passenger and freight trains.
