FAIRFIELD — The City of Fairfield has been awarded $40 million in federal funding for a major infrastructure project aimed at improving safety, reducing traffic congestion and strengthening rail transportation through Butler County. U.S. Sen. Jon Husted announced Thursday that he secured the federal funding for Fairfield’s Symmes Road Grade Separation project. The project will eliminate two at-grade railroad crossings at Symmes Road and North Gilmore Road by constructing an overpass that will carry traffic over a major rail corridor used by CSX, Norfolk Southern and Amtrak. The rail line sees nearly 50 trains each day. Symmes Road is a major east-west route through Fairfield, carrying more than 12,000 vehicles daily. City officials say separating vehicle and rail traffic will improve emergency response times, reduce congestion and eliminate the possibility of collisions at the two crossings. Husted said the project also will help support economic growth in the area. “This project is about making Fairfield safer and keeping people, products and the economy moving forward,” Husted said. “Separating road and rail traffic will reduce congestion and the risk of collisions, improve emergency response times and make it more efficient for students, families and workers to get where they need to go.” Fairfield Mayor Steve Miller called the federal award a transformational moment for the city and the region. For decades, the railroad crossings have been viewed as a barrier to safety, mobility and economic development. Miller said the federal funding gives Fairfield the resources needed to finally address the problem. The Butler County Transportation Improvement District has also been pursuing the project for more than three decades. Executive Director Dan Corey said eliminating the crossings will enhance safety and connectivity and benefit the community for generations. The project is also expected to support the area's growing logistics and distribution industry, with millions of square feet of new development currently under construction nearby. In addition to improving roadway traffic, the project is expected to create more than four miles of uninterrupted rail track north of Cincinnati's congested rail terminals. Officials say that will improve the movement of both freight and passenger trains through the region. U.S. Rep. Warren Davidson said the project has long been a priority for Fairfield because the crossings affect daily traffic, emergency response and businesses that depend on the corridor. The $40 million comes through the Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail Grant Program, a federal program supporting major rail infrastructure projects. Husted said he advocated for the Fairfield project in a letter to U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy. The project is expected to improve public safety, reduce traffic congestion, strengthen rail operations and support continued economic development in Fairfield and throughout Butler County.
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(Image Courtesy: City of Fairfield)
