The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) recently awarded the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) a $356 million Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail Program grant
Funding will be combined with $100 million in state funds to accelerate major improvements to rail corridors statewide. Projects will increase the safety features and improve the design elements of more than 900 rail crossings.
Work will be prioritized based on the locations with the highest history of incidents. The state will use an approach that enhances safety by reducing conflict points, adds more physical barriers, improves traffic flow, and reduces congestion.
“Making highway-railroad crossings safer is one of my top priorities as FRA Administrator,” FRA Administrator David Fink said. “Florida DOT’s initiative is a game-changing undertaking that will prevent hundreds of crashes and save lives. The Federal Railroad Administration looks forward to working with FDOT on this pioneering project.”
FDOT has been deploying emerging and innovative technology as well as safety initiatives to save lives. The department championed the creation and standardization of dynamic envelopes, an area near railroad crossings designed to keep motorists out of the danger zone, since 2021. In 2024, it spearheaded the creation of the first Rail Safety Coalition in the United States.