Funding across 23 states will upgrade more than 1,000 crossings, renew passenger equipment and remove critical rail infrastructure constraints
Forty-One Projects Receive Funding
The U.S. Department of Transportation has announced a $5.3 billion package for rail safety, infrastructure modernization and rolling-stock renewal. According to the department’s official announcement, the funding will support 41 projects across 23 states.
The awards are being distributed through the National Railroad Partnership Program administered by the Federal Railroad Administration. The program supports projects that reduce maintenance backlogs, improve intercity passenger rail performance and expand network capacity.
FRA received 103 eligible applications from 78 applicants seeking a combined $11.66 billion—more than twice the value of the announced awards.
The complete allocation is available in the FRA project selection register.
More Than 1,000 Crossings Will Be Upgraded
Railroad crossing safety is one of the package’s principal priorities. More than 30 at-grade crossings will be eliminated, while over 1,000 others will receive new infrastructure and safety technologies.
FRA will prioritize high-risk locations. These are defined as crossings that recorded at least three incidents or at least two fatal incidents during the previous five years.
According to the Federal Railroad Administration, more than 2,000 crossing incidents and approximately 200 related fatalities occur nationwide each year. Grade-crossing accidents remain the second-leading cause of rail-related deaths in the United States.
“The projects we announced today will help make our nation’s rail network much safer,” FRA Administrator David Fink said
Major Regional Awards
Florida will receive $356 million for state-of-good-repair improvements at as many as 910 highway-rail crossings. It is the largest regional award specifically focused on crossing infrastructure.
The North Carolina Department of Transportation will receive $299 million to eliminate nine crossings, install sections of double track and implement trespassing-prevention measures.
Texas will receive $189 million to eliminate nine crossings in Fort Worth, Dallas and Terrell. A further $39 million will support the construction of a grade-separated bridge in Hays County.
Fairfield, Ohio, will receive $40 million to close two crossings and construct a new bridge over part of CSX’s Cincinnati Terminal Subdivision.
New Orleans will receive $2.5 million to repair 70-year-old platforms and canopies at its passenger terminal. Crete, Nebraska, will receive $1.1 million to assess eight crossings and identify possible future infrastructure improvements.
Amtrak Will Acquire 43 Trainsets
Approximately $2.19 billion will be directed toward Amtrak rolling stock. Of that amount, $2.05 billion will finance 43 Made-in-America trainsets replacing equipment that is currently 40 to 50 years old.
A further $140 million will fund the overhaul of 41 locomotives operating on Amtrak’s Midwest and Pacific services.
The new trainsets will serve 21 routes and regional corridors, including Adirondack, Cascades, Downeaster, Empire Service, Hiawatha, Keystone, Piedmont and Wolverine, as well as services connecting Washington with Norfolk, Newport News and Roanoke.
The fleet renewal is expected to improve reliability and increase seat capacity. USDOT also expects upgraded equipment and infrastructure to reduce delays on corridors shared by passenger and freight trains.
Around $2 Billion Was Reallocated From California Funding
Approximately $2 billion in the package comes from federal funding made available after the administration terminated support for the California high-speed rail project.
USDOT cited a high-end estimate of $231 billion for the complete California system—nearly seven times its original 2008 estimate. That figure should be understood as an estimate cited by the federal administration rather than a single approved project budget.
The federal decision has also not ended construction of the state-led railway. According to the California High-Speed Rail Authority, nearly 90 miles of guideway and 62 major structures had been completed by August 11, with another 30 structures under construction.
The new national package therefore represents a reallocation of withdrawn federal grants rather than the full cancellation of California’s state project.
Freight Operations Will Also Benefit
Although a substantial part of the funding is associated with Amtrak, the infrastructure work will also affect freight operations. New tracks, grade separations and crossing closures should reduce forced train stops and improve capacity on mixed-traffic corridors.
Projects in major rail hubs across Texas, North Carolina, Ohio and Florida could improve freight reliability, reduce delivery uncertainty and lower safety risks at intersections between railways and highways.
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