The Ohio Rail Development Commission (ORDC) is proposing to rehabilitate 30 miles of railroad known as the Greenfield Line in Highland and Clinton counties. The Greenfield Line is owned by the village of Greenfield and is operated for freight service by the Indiana and Ohio Railway.

The project consists of the replacement of approximately 20,000 railroad ties across the line and ancillary work (installation and tamping of ballast and grade crossing surface replacement) to rehabilitate the track. The work will take place entirely with the operational right-of-way of the railroad. The purpose of the project is to ensure the safe and efficient operation of trains over the line. The project is expected to start construction in the summer of 2021.

A portion of the work will take place in a Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) of the East Fork Little Miami River in New Vienna. Approximately .57 acres of floodplain are involved. Based on the scope of the project, impacts to this floodplain are anticipated to be minor and result in no rise in localized flood levels. A statement of findings detailing the results of the final floodplain analysis will be made available on ORDC’s website: https://rail.ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/ordc/about-ordc/projects-for-public-comment/.

The rehabilitation project is funded by a Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) Grant, Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) grant funding, Highland County Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Revolving Loan Fund, and other sources.

Written comments regarding this project may be sent to: Ohio Rail Development Commission, Attn: Tim Brown, 1980 W. Broad St., Mail Stop 3140, Columbus, Ohio 43223; or via email to: [email protected].

Provide comments within 15 days from the day this notice was published, Aug. 12, 2020.

Submitted by Ohio Rail Development Commission.