New Mexico awarded nearly $74M for rail safety, infrastructure projects

The U.S. Department of Transportation has awarded $172.3 million in funding to support a series of transportation projects, including five separate rail projects totaling $73.5 million, U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) announced this week.

The New Mexico Department of Transportation (NMDOT) will receive $44.8 million from the Federal Railroad Administration’s (FRA) Railroad Crossing Elimination Grant program for the Allison Road grade crossing separation project. Funding will support grade crossing and bridge-related improvements on BNSF Railway Co. and Amtrak’s Southwest Chief route in Gallup. BNSF, NMDOT and the city of Gallup will contribute the 20% nonfederal match, according to a press release from Heinrich’s office.

The Rio Metro Regional Transit District will receive $22.4 million from the FY2025 RAISE Grant Program to support the construction of a Rail Runner Express operations and maintenance facility. There, commuter-rail locomotives, coach cars and cab cars will be inspected and serviced. 

The FRA awarded McKinley County $3.3 million from its crossing elimination grant program to evaluate and plan for potential grade separations at 10 crossings in McKinley and Cibola counties. The funding will support the planning, alternative analysis and conceptual pre-engineering at the crossings. McKinley County and the New Mexico Department of Finance and Administration will contribute a 20% nonfederal match.

The city of Gallup was awarded $2 million via the FY2024 Reconnecting Communities Pilot Grant program to study alternatives at two grade crossings on a BNSF rail line in downtown Gallup.

And, the FRA awarded the city of Clovis $1 million to build an overcrossing at a BNSF line and make signaling and crossing improvements to the nearby BNSF Clovis Yard. The city and BNSF will contribute a 20% match.