Key Points

  • The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) will fund multiple passenger rail projects across 23 states through a $5.3 billion investment program, according to an August 14 Department of Transportation announcement.
  • The funding is authorized by the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and includes approximately $2 billion previously allocated to California's high-speed rail project, from which the Trump administration has withdrawn federal support.
  • Overall, the funds will help eliminate more than 30 grade crossings and upgrade infrastructure and technology at over 1,000 additional crossings, with about $2.2 billion also going toward Amtrak equipment purchases.

In-Depth Analysis

According to the announcement, this will enable contractors to close and replace "high-risk" crossings.

The Department of Transportation defines "high-risk" as sections with a documented accident history over the past five years, including at least three accidents or two fatal accidents. The announcement notes that grade crossings—where roads and rail tracks intersect at the same level—are the second leading cause of rail-related deaths in the United States.

The full list of rail infrastructure upgrades and crossing elimination projects can be viewed here. Some of the major grants include:

  • $356 million for the Florida Department of Transportation to make "good repair" improvements to up to 910 highway-rail grade crossings.
  • $299 million for the North Carolina Department of Transportation to eliminate 9 grade crossings and install double-track sections.
  • $189 million for the Texas Department of Transportation to eliminate 9 crossings in Dallas, Fort Worth, and Terrell, with an additional $39 million for a grade-separated bridge in Hays County, Texas.
  • $40 million for Fairfield, Ohio, to close two grade crossings and build a new bridge.
  • $2.5 million for the city of New Orleans for critical repairs to the platforms and canopies of the 70-year-old New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal.
  • $1.1 million for Crete, Nebraska, to study the existing 8 grade crossings and determine potential future improvements.

The announcement states that the FRA received 103 eligible applications from 78 entities, totaling approximately $11.7 billion in requests. Funding will come from the Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail Program, a federal grant program under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act aimed at improving U.S. passenger rail assets.