According to a press release from the Department of Transportation (DOT), the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) will fund passenger rail projects in 23 states with a $5.3 billion investment package.
The funds will help close more than 30 grade crossings and will see the upgrade of over 1,000 others with new infrastructure and technology, as well as $2.2 billion for Amtrak equipment purchases. The FRA received 103 eligible applications from 78 entities requesting $11.7 billion.
Contractors will get to work on “high-risk” crossings for closure and replacement. The DOT defines “high-risk” as sections with a documented accident history of three or more incidents or two or more fatal incidents during the last five years. In the U.S., grade crossings are the second leading cause of rail-related deaths.
While the list is not comprehensive, the funding will support major several major projects:
• Florida: $356 million for “good repair” improvements at up to 910 highway-rail grade crossings
• North Carolina: $299 million to eliminate nine grade crossings and install double track segments
• Texas: $189 million to eliminate nine crossings in Dallas, Fort Worth, and Terrell and $39 million for Hays County, Texas to build a grade-separated bridge
• Ohio: $40 million for the city of Fairfield to close two at-grade rail crossings and create a new bridge
• Louisiana: $2.5 million for the city of New Orleans to make critical repairs to 70-year-old platforms and canopies at the New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal.
