Iowa to Get $15.6M Railroad Facility

A long-awaited $15.6 million railroad facility is set to be built soon in Des Moines, IA, and will aid central Iowa's economy, according to local officials.

According to a report at theHouston Chronicle, the facility, also known as a railport, will enable materials to be transferred from semitrailers to trains, which ship products at a lower cost.

The U.S. Department of Transportation recently awarded an $11.2 million grant for the project to the Des Moines Area Metropolitan Planning Organization, the Des Moines Register reported.

Local officials hope the facility will create a more robust rail system and lower shipping costs. It will be built on the city's southeast side next year, and the MPO expects to select a facility operator in January.