The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) is now accepting applications for more than $291 million in grants for railroad capital projects.
Wednesday, the USDOT issued a Notice of Funding Opportunity for the Federal-State Partnership for State of Good Repair Grant Program that will allocate funds to help repair or rehabilitate intercity passenger railroad assets.
“This Administration has continuously emphasized the importance of investing in the safety and efficiency of our Nation’s rail infrastructure, and these federal dollars will help make grade crossings safer and enhance service reliability,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao.
The money stems from the Fiscal Year 2020 Partnership Program, as well as from funds that were left over from the Partnership Program’s Fiscal Year 2019 funding.
Eligible projects will support the repair, replacement, or rehabilitation of qualified railroad assets to reduce the backlog of maintenance issues while improving intercity passenger rail performance.
“All eligible parties should take full advantage of this opportunity to leverage private, state, and local investments that boost capital projects, including those that enhance safety in track and equipment and improve safety at highway-rail grade crossings or otherwise grade-separate rail intersections,” said FRA Administrator Ronald L. Batory.
The department said that grants will be awarded on a competitive basis, taking into consideration the project’s objectives, how the project leverages federal funds, how the project uses innovative approaches to enhance safety, and how the grant recipients are held accountable for achieving specific outcomes. The federal share of the project’s funding must not exceed 80 percent, the department said.
Applications are due no later than 5 p.m. EST, July 27.