The U.S. Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and the Department of Transportation’s Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) recently awarded $197 million in competitive grant funding to commuter and intercity passenger railroads.
The grant, authorized under the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation, will help the railroads meet the Dec. 31, 2018 deadline to implement Positive Train Control (PTC).
PTC systems are designed to prevent accidents caused from a switch left in the wrong position.
Twenty-seven eligible applications were received, requesting $455 million. The FRA narrowed it down to 17 projects in 13 states.
“The number of passengers depending on rail has increased dramatically, which means PTC is needed now more than ever,” FRA Executive Director Patrick Warren said. “This funding will get us closer to PTC implementation on some of the most significant railroads in the country that transport several million passengers to and from work every day.”
Reflecting the two largest projects funded, the New York State Department of Transportation was awarded $33.75 million to install a PTC system on the Amtrak-controlled section of the Empire Corridor Hudson Line. The South Florida Regional Transportation Authority was awarded $31.63 million to complete installation of its Interoperable Electronic Train Management System PTC system.
The FTA will administer the grants during Fiscal Year 2017.