(Source: U.S. Department of Transportation press release, January 10, 2025)
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) today announced that it has awarded more than $1.1 billion in Railroad Crossing Elimination Grant Program funding to 123 rail projects, improving or studying more than 1,000 highway-rail crossings nationwide. This announcement is the largest single investment in grade crossing safety in FRA’s history. Combined with previous rail investments announced under the Biden-Harris Administration, FRA has now invested a historic $48.5 billion in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding in more than 445 rail projects across the country and Amtrak.
Rail grants being announced today for communities in 41 states will build railroad overpasses and underpasses, fund safety upgrades that will save lives, and make improvements that will result in safer communities for pedestrians and motorists as well as rail workers and riders. The construction of new overpasses and underpasses, in particular, will eliminate the risk of collisions between trains and roadway users and prevent blocked crossings—which delays drivers and emergency responders alike—greatly enhancing safety, mobility, and connectivity for local communities nationwide.
“This Administration is tackling the issues that Americans face every day, and over the years, we have engaged with residents, community leaders, and stakeholders across the country on the issue of grade crossing safety and blocked crossings,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “The Railroad Crossing Elimination Grant Program funding we’re announcing today is a sweeping effort that directly supports cities, towns, and villages in every region of the country in their efforts to protect lives, prevent drivers being delayed by blocked crossings, and improve the overall quality of life for their citizens.”
Accidents at grade crossings are the second leading cause of rail-related deaths in the United States, with more than 2,000 incidents and 200 fatalities occurring at grade crossings each year. Furthermore, blockages resulting from slow moving or stalled trains at crossings cost time and resources for American families and may cut off access roads and delay first responders from reaching emergencies. Over the last twelve months, FRA received more than 26,000 complaints of blocked crossings through the agency’s Public Blocked Crossing Incident Reporter.
“From day one of the Biden-Harris Administration, we have committed ourselves to making rail safer for all Americas, and since President Biden signed the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, we have made unprecedented investments to modernize and improve America’s rail networks,” said FRA Administrator Amit Bose. “Today’s grants are another example of the Biden-Harris Administration reversing a half-century of federal underinvestment in America’s rail network and delivering for the American people, helping people in communities big and small get to and from their homes, schools, businesses, and workplaces safely and without delays.”
Full story: Federal Railroad Administration