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7/1/2022
The U.S. Department of Transportation yesterday issued a notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) for more than $573 million in available grants in fiscal-year 2022 for the new Railroad Crossing Elimination Program.
Created by the recently enacted Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the new federal discretionary grant program is designed to help improve safety, eliminate lengthy delays at grade crossings in communities nationwide and ultimately lower the costs of transporting goods, USDOT officials said in a press release.
"In too many communities across America, outdated railroad crossings are unsafe, result in lengthy wait times and can even create significant delays in our supply chains," said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.
About $600 million will be allocated for the program annually from FY2022 to FY2026. The program will fund projects that will eliminate crossings or at least involve upgrades or improvements to make them safer, said Federal Railroad Administrator Amit Bose.
Projects eligible for funding will include grade separations, crossing closures, track relocations and improvements or the installation of warning devices related to a separation or relocation project. Planning work, environmental reviews and other preliminary design elements are also eligible for grant funding.
The FRA will evaluate project proposals based on their potential to improve safety by eliminating crossings or improving existing crossings; increase access to emergency services; reduce emissions; provide economic benefit; and result in local hiring, among other possible community enhancements.
The NOFO will be open for public inspection at the Federal Register on July 5 and be published on July 6, FRA officials said.
The Association of American Railroads welcomed the federal funding opportunity and encouraged states to apply for the grants. Although crossing collisions were down 39% from 2000 to 2020, much more work remains to boost safety for motorists and pedestrians near tracks, AAR officials said in a press release.
"These funds are a vital, new tool that will save lives and reduce driver delays,” said AAR President and CEO Ian Jefferies. “States and other eligible entities are positioned to strategically deploy these dollars and maximize the program’s impact."