Overview:  

The Railroad Safety Infrastructure Improvement Grants Program provides $25 million for safety improvements to railroad infrastructure, including the acquisition, improvement, or rehabilitation of intermodal facilities; improvements to track, bridges, rail yards, and tunnels; upgrades to railroad crossings; and the separation of railroad crossings and roads.  See more notices here for additional information.              

Authorization:  

Congress originally authorized the Program in the Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008, but never funded it. Congress repealed the program in the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act of 2015. In the FY 2016 Consolidated Appropriations Act, Division L, Title I, Congress reauthorized the Program.

Appropriation:  

FY 2016 Consolidated Appropriations Act, Division L, Title I, Congress appropriated funding for railroad safety grants to carry out 49 U.S.C. 20167.

Amount:

 $25 million

Eligible Projects:  

Projects that make safety improvements to railroad infrastructure, such as:

• Acquisition, improvement, or rehabilitation of railroad equipment (locomotives, rolling stock)
• Improvement or rehabilitation of rail infrastructure (track, bridges, tunnels, grade crossings, catenary, signals, PTC equipment)
• Construction, improvement, or rehabilitation of rail facilities (yards, passenger stations, maintenance/repair shops)
• Projects that construct the infrastructure necessary to establish a quiet zone

Eligible Recipients:

• Passenger and freight railroad carriers
• States
• Local governments
• States and Political subdivisions of States (for quiet zone projects only)