The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) announced it has made available $311.8 million in funding for capital railroad improvements.
The USDOT’s Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) issued a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) on Friday for the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) Program.
The program will fund up to $311.8 million in projects designed to improve safety, efficiency and reliability for both freight and passenger rail projects. The funding comes from the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act.
Eligible projects include those that address congestion, highway-rail grade crossings, upgrades to short line or regional railroads, relocation of rail lines, improvements to intercity passenger rail assets, or railroad safety technology.
“We’re committed to addressing the unmet transportation needs of rural areas, which face unique challenges in safety, infrastructure condition, and passenger and freight usage,” said FRA Administrator Ronald L. Batory. “I encourage all eligible parties to take full advantage of this funding opportunity.”
At least 25 percent of the available funds would go to rural communities, according to the FRA, however, projects where the federal government’s share of the total costs is 50 percent or less. And the program will also aside $45 million (about 7 percent) of the funding that requires the acquisition of rights-of-way, track or track structure in developing new intercity passenger rail service outlets.
For more details about the CRISI program, applicants can go to FRA’s Competitive Discretionary Grant Program webpage.