The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) has awarded $5.3 billion for 41 passenger rail projects across 23 states. The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) will administer the funding through the National Railroad Partnership Program.
The grants will fund grade crossing improvements, rail infrastructure upgrades, and new Amtrak equipment. Projects will close more than 30 grade crossings and upgrade over 1,000 others with new infrastructure and technology. The package includes about $2 billion in funds previously allocated to California’s high-speed rail project.
Major awards include $356 million for improvements at up to 910 highway-rail crossings across Florida. North Carolina will receive $299 million to eliminate nine crossings, add double-track segments, and support trespass prevention measures. Texas will receive $189 million to eliminate nine crossings in Dallas, Fort Worth, and Terrell. Hays County will receive another $39 million to construct a grade-separated bridge. Fairfield, Ohio, will receive $40 million to close two crossings and build a bridge over the CSX Cincinnati Terminal Subdivision.
The package also includes $2.05 billion for Amtrak to purchase 43 new trainsets for passenger routes across the country. Another $140 million will fund overhauls of 41 locomotives serving Midwest and Pacific routes.
FRA received 103 eligible applications from 78 entities seeking approximately $11.7 billion.