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On Friday, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced $300 million in obligated grants for passenger-rail projects across the United States.

The Federal Railroad Administration has been working with states to move the grants from “award” to “obligation” status, which will enable construction on the projects to begin. The states receiving obligated grants include:

• California Department of Transportation, four projects totaling $22 million;

• Connecticut, $40 million to upgrade the New Haven-Hartford-Springdale rail corridor;

• Maryland/Baltimore, $60 million for a preliminary engineering and environmental analysis to study the replacement and augmentation of the B&P Tunnel;

• Missouri, three projects totaling $3.8 million, including a state rail plan and improvements to grade crossings;

• New Jersey, $38.5 million for the final design of a new Portal Bridge;

• Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority, $600,000 to study the feasibility of expanding the Downeaster line;

• New York, $3.3 million to add track and rail capacity for the Amtrak Adirondack and Ethan Allen Express;

• Washington, $145 million to fund rail corridor improvements and new equipment for the Cascades route; and

• West Virginia, $1 million to create a state rail plan.