The Federal Railroad Administration recently awarded 123 rail projects in 41 states more than $1.1 billion in Railroad Crossing Elimination Grant Program funding to make rail improvements, conduct safety upgrades and build railroad overpasses at more than 1,000 highway-rail crossings.
“This administration is tackling the issues that Americans face every day, and over the years, we have engaged with residents, community leaders, and stakeholders across the country on the issue of grade crossing safety and blocked crossings,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said. “The Railroad Crossing Elimination Grant Program funding we’re announcing today is a sweeping effort that directly supports cities, towns, and villages in every region of the country in their efforts to protect lives, prevent drivers being delayed by blocked crossings, and improve the overall quality of life for their citizens.”
In the United States, accidents at grade crossings are the second leading cause of rail-related deaths with more than 2,000 incidents and 200 fatalities annually. In addition, the FRA received more than 26,000 complaints of blocked crossings over the last twelve months.
Awardees include the city of Columbia, S.C., that was awarded $204.2 million for the Assembly Street Railroad Separation Project, and the Illinois Department of Transportation, that was awarded $43.13 million for CREATE Project GS1.