Congressional delegation celebrates upgrades for rail infrastructure - by Steven J. King

It was our pleasure at Quonset to welcome federal, state and local leaders to the Business Park for a ribbon cutting and a train ride to celebrate recent upgrades to our rail infrastructure.

Located in North Kingstown, Quonset Business Park is home to over 14,000 jobs at 239 companies, including nearly one of every five manufacturing jobs in the state. The Business Park generates $1.7 billion in annual household income for R.I. families and over $150 million in tax revenue.

Seaview Railroad, Quonset’s rail operator, hauls freight for Quonset businesses and shipments to and from the Port of Davisville. Last year, Seaview broke its annual volume record by hauling 7,513 rail cars, keeping over 30,000 trucks off the road.

The three newly-completed projects enhance freight rail capacity and increase the flexibility of Seaview’s rail operations by creating a more efficient transportation network. The upgraded infrastructure increases capacity for business growth and job creation, benefiting Quonset companies, their customers and R.I.’s economy.

• Seaview Engine House – A new facility for Quonset’s rail operator, Seaview Railroad, to repair and store rail cars.

• Mill Creek Railyard – A new rail-yard with six turnouts and additional storage for up to 58 rail cars on two parallel sidings.

• Davisville Main Connector – A new connector line that now provides direct access between the Davisville Main Line and the Mill Creek Rail Yard and reduces rail transit time within the Business Park.

Multi-modal infrastructure investments like these for air, land, sea and rail are critical to Quonset’s success, because we are committed to providing world-class infrastructure and amenities to our tenant companies. These upgrades allow us to support Quonset companies and their continued growth.

The Davisville Main Connector and the Mill Creek Railyard were jointly funded by a $4 million Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) Program grant from the U.S. Dept. of Transportation. The Seaview Engine House was self-funded through QDC and Seaview’s operating revenue.

Among the guests at our ribbon cutting was Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) Administrator Amit Bose, who traveled from Washington, D.C. to join us for the celebration.

“The Federal Railroad Administration is proud to support this work through our CRISI Program and to see federal investments strengthen supply chains and create business opportunities and growth,” Bose said. “Thanks to President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and increased funding for the CRISI Program, we have an unprecedented opportunity to fund even more projects that will make rail safer and more reliable, getting goods where they need to be more efficiently while benefiting the economy and daily lives.”

As the original home of the U.S. Navy Seabees, we at Quonset apply their  “Can Do!” spirit to everything we do, including delivering world-class infrastructure to the Business Park’s 239 companies. We look forward to putting these rail infrastructure upgrades to work for many years to come.

Steven J. King, PE, is the managing director of the Quonset Development Corp., North Kingstown, R.I.