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9/30/2025
The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) yesterday awarded two grants totaling $1.1 million to improve freight-rail transportation.
Funding comes from the state's Industrial Rail Access Program (IRAP). The grant is a competitive public-private partnership program that provides financial assistance to companies or municipalities investing in rail infrastructure, MassDOT officials said in a press releasey.
The East Brookfield & Spencer Railroad was awarded $700,000 to expand sort-out track capacity at its New England Automotive Gateway in Spencer. The facility currently handles 26,000 rail cars annually, MassDOT officials said. The project is designed to improve reliability and ensure more efficient handling of automotive shipments across the region. It will also generate 10 new jobs, a key factor of the grant program recipient criteria.
Meanwhile, the city of Lawrence received a $408,474 grant to rehabilitate an existing industrial spur track. The project is designed to boost freight capacity by 42 rail cars annually and create six new jobs.
IRAP recipients must match their MassDOT grant with funding of at least 40% of their project's total cost, MassDOT officials said.