Union Pacific to spend $452 million in Texas infrastructure - NAFTA helps drives business
April 13th, 2017
Updated April 17, 2017 - TRA Newswire -
Union Pacific is boosting safety and efficiency with an approximately $452 million infrastructure investment in Texas this year. Projects funded by Union Pacific benefit Texas's overall transportation infrastructure without taxpayer funds. An additional $135 million is slated for improvements in neighboring Oklahoma while $79 million is expected to be spent in Louisiana (that story follows).
Union Pacific's investment plan funds a range of initiatives: $359 million to maintain railroad track and $93 million to maintain bridges in the state. Key projects planned this year include:
$18 million investment in the rail line between Mineola and Dallas to replace 42 miles of rail.
$19 million investment in the rail line between Round Rock and San Antonio to replace 48 miles of rail.
$19 million investment in the rail line between Dryden and Alpine to replace 166,919 railroad ties and install 35,280 tons of rock ballast.
"Union Pacific's targeted investments fund projects that strengthen our railroad tracks, increase safety and minimize delays as trains travel through communities across Texas," said Brenda Mainwaring, Union Pacific vice president – Public Affairs, Southern Region. "Maintaining a healthy railroad is the foundation of our ability to serve customers and communities across the state."
This year's planned $452 million capital expenditure in Texas is part of an ongoing investment strategy. From 2012 to 2016, Union Pacific invested more than $2.1 billion strengthening Texas's transportation infrastructure.
Union Pacific plans to spend $3.1 billion across its network this year. The company has invested $51 billion since 2000, contributing to a 40 percent decrease in derailments during the same time frame.
Cross-border business has been good for Union Pacific and the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) has been a good boost for UP's bottom line.
As a new administration ponders changes to NAFTA, one important fact cannot be overlooked: millions of American jobs depend on trade occurring along the U.S./Mexican border – the fourth largest economy in the world.
Each year, NAFTA-related trade generates about 200,000 export-related jobs – jobs that pay about 15 to 20 percent better than the manufacturing jobs lost due to rising imports from Mexico, according to the International Trade Commission. In the agriculture sector alone, Mexico is America's third-largest agricultural market, importing $18 billion of U.S. agricultural products – trade that pumps income into farming communities across the U.S.
In a Union Pacific special report, Business Over the Border: NAFTA's Role in Balancing Economies, the railroad examines the important of cross-border trade and how it benefits Texas, the U.S. and Mexican economies https://www.up.com/aboutup/community/inside_track/mexico-nafta-3-27-2017.htm
Union Pacific Plans to Invest $135 Million in its Arkansas Rail Infrastructure
Union Pacific is boosting safety and efficiency with an approximately $135 million infrastructure investment in Arkansas this year. Projects funded by Union Pacific benefit Arkansas's overall transportation infrastructure without taxpayer funds.
Union Pacific's investment plan funds a range of initiatives: $119 million to maintain railroad track and $7 million to maintain bridges in the state. Key projects planned this year include:
$20 million investment in the rail line between Rison and Camden to replace 47 miles of rail.
$14 million investment in the rail line between Little Rock and Benton to replace 61,005 railroad ties and install 16,838 tons of rock ballast.
From 2012 to 2016, Union Pacific invested more than $588 million strengthening Arkansas's transportation infrastructure.
Union Pacific Plans to Invest $79 Million in its Louisiana Rail Infrastructure
Union Pacific is boosting safety and efficiency with an approximately $79 million infrastructure investment in Louisiana this year. Projects funded by Union Pacific benefit Louisiana's overall transportation infrastructure without taxpayer funds.
Union Pacific's investment plan funds a range of initiatives: $58 million to maintain railroad track and $18 million to maintain bridges in the state. Key projects planned this year include:
$19 million investment in the rail line between Alexandria and Shreveport to replace 149,125 railroad ties and install 76,150 tons of rock ballast.
$11 million investment in the rail line between Alexandria and Iowa to replace 90,659 railroad ties and install 35,093 tons of rock ballast.
From 2012 to 2016, Union Pacific invested more than $392 million strengthening Louisiana's transportation infrastructure.
Union Pacific is boosting safety and efficiency with an approximately $452 million infrastructure investment in Texas this year. Projects funded by Union Pacific benefit Texas's overall transportation infrastructure without taxpayer funds. An additional $135 million is slated for improvements in neighboring Oklahoma while $79 million is expected to be spent in Louisiana (that story follows).
Union Pacific's investment plan funds a range of initiatives: $359 million to maintain railroad track and $93 million to maintain bridges in the state. Key projects planned this year include:
$18 million investment in the rail line between Mineola and Dallas to replace 42 miles of rail.
$19 million investment in the rail line between Round Rock and San Antonio to replace 48 miles of rail.
$19 million investment in the rail line between Dryden and Alpine to replace 166,919 railroad ties and install 35,280 tons of rock ballast.
"Union Pacific's targeted investments fund projects that strengthen our railroad tracks, increase safety and minimize delays as trains travel through communities across Texas," said Brenda Mainwaring, Union Pacific vice president – Public Affairs, Southern Region. "Maintaining a healthy railroad is the foundation of our ability to serve customers and communities across the state."
This year's planned $452 million capital expenditure in Texas is part of an ongoing investment strategy. From 2012 to 2016, Union Pacific invested more than $2.1 billion strengthening Texas's transportation infrastructure.
Union Pacific plans to spend $3.1 billion across its network this year. The company has invested $51 billion since 2000, contributing to a 40 percent decrease in derailments during the same time frame.
Cross-border business has been good for Union Pacific and the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) has been a good boost for UP's bottom line.
As a new administration ponders changes to NAFTA, one important fact cannot be overlooked: millions of American jobs depend on trade occurring along the U.S./Mexican border – the fourth largest economy in the world.
Each year, NAFTA-related trade generates about 200,000 export-related jobs – jobs that pay about 15 to 20 percent better than the manufacturing jobs lost due to rising imports from Mexico, according to the International Trade Commission. In the agriculture sector alone, Mexico is America's third-largest agricultural market, importing $18 billion of U.S. agricultural products – trade that pumps income into farming communities across the U.S.
In a Union Pacific special report, Business Over the Border: NAFTA's Role in Balancing Economies, the railroad examines the important of cross-border trade and how it benefits Texas, the U.S. and Mexican economies https://www.up.com/aboutup/community/inside_track/mexico-nafta-3-27-2017.htm
Union Pacific Plans to Invest $135 Million in its Arkansas Rail Infrastructure
Union Pacific is boosting safety and efficiency with an approximately $135 million infrastructure investment in Arkansas this year. Projects funded by Union Pacific benefit Arkansas's overall transportation infrastructure without taxpayer funds.
Union Pacific's investment plan funds a range of initiatives: $119 million to maintain railroad track and $7 million to maintain bridges in the state. Key projects planned this year include:
$20 million investment in the rail line between Rison and Camden to replace 47 miles of rail.
$14 million investment in the rail line between Little Rock and Benton to replace 61,005 railroad ties and install 16,838 tons of rock ballast.
From 2012 to 2016, Union Pacific invested more than $588 million strengthening Arkansas's transportation infrastructure.
Union Pacific Plans to Invest $79 Million in its Louisiana Rail Infrastructure
Union Pacific is boosting safety and efficiency with an approximately $79 million infrastructure investment in Louisiana this year. Projects funded by Union Pacific benefit Louisiana's overall transportation infrastructure without taxpayer funds.
Union Pacific's investment plan funds a range of initiatives: $58 million to maintain railroad track and $18 million to maintain bridges in the state. Key projects planned this year include:
$19 million investment in the rail line between Alexandria and Shreveport to replace 149,125 railroad ties and install 76,150 tons of rock ballast.
$11 million investment in the rail line between Alexandria and Iowa to replace 90,659 railroad ties and install 35,093 tons of rock ballast.
From 2012 to 2016, Union Pacific invested more than $392 million strengthening Louisiana's transportation infrastructure.