FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) A "rough" railroad crossing near Fort Wayne International Airport is set to undergo a major transformation that will make it much safer thanks to millions of dollars in grant money from the Federal Government. Bill aims to ban marijuana advertisements in Indiana The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) on Friday announced that up to $23.2 million will be available to build and overpass at the railroad crossing on Airport Expressway just west of the intersection with Bluffton Road. Norfolk Southern and the City of Fort Wayne will most likely contribute a combined $5.8 million not provided by the grant. The project is estimated to cost a total of $29 million. According to Fort Wayne City Engineer Patrick Zaharako, the overpass will be about 20 feet over the railroad, similar to the railroad overpass on Hillegas Rd. just north of Illinois Rd. "We'll have some earth and berms and some retaining walls to get road up and over the railroad," Zaharako said. The estimated $29 million price tag is slightly higher than normal because the city will also have to reconstruct the bridge over Fairfield Ditch just to the east of the railroad crossing. The project still needs to go through the design phase, be approved by the city, and then go through the final federal approval process. Because of this, construction isn't likely to begin until 2029. The project is estimated to take between 1-2 years once ground is broken. Once that happens, Airport Expressway between Ardmore Ave. and Bluffton Rd. will be closed. "This is really such a major construction project," Zaharako said. "It's just about the only way to do it." In a news release announcing the funding, the USDOT news release indicated the project will reduce the number of crashes in the area and enhance access to the new IU Health hospital being built nearby on Ernst Road. It will also provide more direct routes for deliveries and smoother commutes for motorists. "Safety is always one of the paramount things," Zaharako said. "And it's not only safety for the traveling public, but for EMS services to quickly get to all the hospitals around the city." Zaharako said that there will be public meetings hosted by the city once a design is created.