FRA solicits applications for next round of CRISI grants

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has issued a notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) that makes available more than $2.4 billion in Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) Program funding.

The NOFO includes funding for fiscal years 2023 and 2024 and builds on the more than $1.4 billion in CRISI grant selections announced last year. Funded through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021, CRISI grants help fund projects that modernize freight- and intercity passenger-rail infrastructure.

"Every year, FRA sees extraordinarily high demand for CRISI grant funds, which help railroads, states and local communities meet vital needs for safety and economic development and growth," said FRA Administrator Amit Bose in a press release. "In addition, by funding freight and passenger rail transportation, CRISI-funded projects improve the fluidity of the national rail network and make it easier and safer for goods and people to move by rail across the country."

Last year, the FRA selected 70 projects in 35 states and Washington, D.C., for CRISI funding. The projects ranged from bridge, track and grade crossing improvements to investments in restoring and expanding intercity passenger-rail corridors.CRISI grants are also a major source of funding for short lines, many of which are small businesses whose operations bolster local economies and are crucial for supply chain fluidity, FRA officials said.

Published in the Federal Register, the CRISI-grant NOFO can be read here.