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On Sept. 4, Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) announced it awarded $5.2 million in grants to 10 states to improve grade crossings along federally designated high-speed rail corridors.

Under a Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century grant program, public and private grade crossings along previously designated corridors are eligible to receive federal funding to improve safety by closing, consolidating or grade-separating crossings; installing or upgrading automated warning devices with bells, flashing lights and/or gates; improving track circuitry, crossing surfaces, sight distances or illumination; or installing advanced train- or traffic-control systems.

The federal share can be up to 100 percent of total engineering and construction costs.

The 10 states receiving fiscal-year 2003 allocations are Mississippi ($1.2 million), Washington ($993,500), New York ($844,475), South Carolina ($496,750), Wisconsin ($447,075), Alabama ($380,511), Minnesota ($248,375), Illinois ($198,700), Virginia ($198,700) and Louisiana ($141,077).

"I'm very pleased that these grants further [the] goal [of the] development of high-speed rail corridors in recipient states," said FRA Administrator Allan Rutter in a prepared statement.

Since 1993, funding under the program — which is jointly managed by FRA and Federal Highway Administration — has helped various states improve 330 and close 122 crossings, as well as design and construct 12 grade-separation projects.