The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) opened the application period for the Rail Transportation Assistance Program (RTAP) and the Rail Freight Assistance Program (RFAP) today. The programs maintain or expand rail freight service to boost and support economic development.
RTAP is a capital budget grant program funded with bonds. It is available to applicants with a line item(s) in a Capital Budget Act. To receive a line item for their project, applicants should contact their state representatives or state senators. Award recipients will receive 70 percent of the total project costs up to the amount of the line item.
RFAP is underwritten through the Multimodal Fund, created by Act 89, and provides grants for rail freight infrastructure. The goal is to create new or expanded rail freight service and to keep important rail freight service. Award recipients will receive 70 percent of the total project costs up to $700,000.
“Pennsylvania has a robust rail freight network and the Commonwealth values and invests in this critical transportation mode that businesses rely on,” PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll said. “Supporting rail freight is another part of the Shapiro Administration’s work to improve the infrastructure connecting our communities and to grow Pennsylvania’s economy.”
Applications are due on Aug. 28.