U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy on Monday said the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) will use more than $2 billion repurposed from funding for the California High Speed Rail project to pay for building other railroad projects that improve safety.
In an announcement on Monday, Duffy said the FRA would issue a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the National Railroad Partnership Program and allocate more than $5 billion in funding for projects that will enhance safety on intercity passenger rail networks. The NOFO includes approximately $2.4 billion that the FRA “de-obligated” from California High Speed Rail, and will use to reinvest in other projects, critical infrastructure upgrades and rail safety.
“The funding will help advance FRA’s top priority of making railroads safer,” said FRA Acting Administrator Drew Feeley. “These funds will significantly enhance and strengthen grade crossing safety, along with other eligible uses related to passenger rail capacity and reliability.”
The FRA reissued the NOFO for fiscal year 2024 and added funding for the FY 2025 National Railroad Partnership Program, officials said. The NOFO was originally published last year as the Federal State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail Grant Program. The reissued NOFO includes several changes, including a repeal of DEI requirements, an emphasis on grade crossing safety projects, and support for projects that align with the Trump administration’s focus on the American family and a more seamless travel experience.
Eligible program applicants include a state, a group of states, an interstate compact, a public agency or publicly chartered authority established by one or more states, a federally-recognized American Indian Tribe, a political subdivision or Amtrak.