Colorado Gov. Jared Polis and the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) said their state had received a $44 million Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) grant to improve rail safety in the state’s mountain corridors.
The grant, designed to improve safety, reliability and emergency response along central and western Colorado’s mountain corridors, will be combined with $11 million from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) to support CDOT’s $55 million Safe, Agile, Fast, and Efficient Rail Travel (SAFER Travel) project.
“Colorado’s mountain rail corridors connect communities, carry goods across the country, and provide unforgettable passenger rail experiences, but are threatened by rockfall, multiple crossings, and remote terrain that create real safety risk,” Polis said. “This $55 million in state and federal funding will help protect passengers, railroad workers, nearby communities, and economic supply lines, all while strengthening the safe and reliable rail service Coloradans depend on.”
Part of the FRA’s FY24-25 Federal State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail initiative, the money will be used on three major safety efforts – installing rockfall barriers, specialized fencing and other stabilization measures through Byers Canyon; purchasing and equipping six mobile hazardous material and emergency response caches in East Portal, Winter Park, Hot Sulphur Springs, Steamboat Springs, Dotsero, and Parachute; and conducting safety analyses at seven railroad crossings and advancing improvements at two priority crossings in Grand County.
“Moving safely through Colorado’s mountains requires care to deal with safety risks. This grant will let us build key safety features that will protect the people and goods that use this rail line. These investments will make travel safer and more reliable as we strengthen the connection between mountain communities and make it possible for additional growth in mountain rail travel,” Shoshana Lew, Executive Director of CDOT, said.
Now that a selection has been made, CDOT will work with the FRA and Union Pacific to finalize the grant agreement, complete environmental review and design, purchase and equip the emergency response caches, and begin construction. Officials estimate the project will be complete in late 2030.