Within weeks, we expect decisions from the U.S. Department of Transportation on where to invest billions in passenger-rail funding from the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. You can learn on our site about three of the contenders: Brightline West, which would launch...
The Federal Railroad Administration Awards $5.4 Billion for Rail Projects
On Monday, September 25, the FRA announced the award of $1.4 billion in FY22 Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) grants to rail projects throughout the country. This includes funding for 70 projects in 35 states, to both freight and passenger rail projects. The biggest grant recipients are Amtrak and the California High Speed Rail Authority, receiving a combined $402 million.
Key Passenger Rail Projects Receiving Funding
1. The Gulf Coast Corridor Improvement Project, led by Amtrak in partnership with the Southern Rail Commission, was awarded up to $178.4 million for development, final design and construction. The project is set to reintroduce a twice-daily service between New Orleans and Mobile in 2024, while maintaining freight service along the corridor.
2. The California High Speed Rail Authority was awarded up to $202 million to fund design, right-of-way purchases, and construction on six grade separations in Shafter, CA.
3. The Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority was awarded up to $42.5 million for development, design and construction for the Capitol Corridor passenger rail service. This project will allow two additional daily round trips to operate between Sacramento and Roseville, CA.
4. The Virginia Passenger Rail Authority was awarded up to $100 million for final design and construction for a bypass project. A new flyover will allow intercity and commuter trains to bypass CSX owned freight tracks, improving reliability for those services.
You can find the full list of projects here.
Read More:
FRA: $1.4B In Infrastructure Funding Through CRISI Program
California High-Speed Rail Authority Receives Nearly $202 Million from Federal Government
Amtrak Awarded Nearly $200 Million In Federal Grants
With Grant, Amtrak Plans Gulf Coast Route’s Return, 18 Years After Katrina (Washington Post)
Capitol Corridor Awarded $42.51 Million from the Federal Railroad Administration
Franconia-Springfield Rail Project Receives $100 Million In Federal Funding
Ohio Representative Kaptur Calls for Plan to Connect Toledo to Canada, Cleveland, Columbus, and Chicago
Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur, who represents a northwestern Ohio district centered on Toledo, organized a meeting last Friday, September 22, which highlighted the need for leadership on multi-state passenger-rail projects.
Nearly two dozen officials and organizational leaders attended the meeting, including Amit Bose, the head of the Federal Railroad Administration, and Stephen Gardner, the CEO of Amtrak.
Highlighting the fact that only a few trains each week serve Toledo at all—and none in daylight hours—Rep. Kaptur called for more convenient, frequent service between Toledo and cities such as Detroit, Chicago, Columbus, and Cleveland. Currently, no passenger trains at all travel between Toledo and Detroit or Columbus, and those to and from Chicago and Cleveland only do so on schedules that don’t work for most travelers.
“As Representative Kaptur pointed out, money is not really the issue. What we really need is a plan to overcome other obstacles,” said High Speed Rail Alliance executive director Rick Harnish, who traveled to Toledo to participate in the discussion. “The development of new passenger-rail lines in the U.S. is typically left up to individual states. This doesn’t work well for cities like Toledo, which shares a line that would greatly benefit from cooperation, coordination, and investment from several other states. We’re grateful and excited that Representative Kaptur led the way in organizing this discussion and calling for federal planning to solve this problem.”
Toledo’s WTVG covered the meeting in this eight-minute segment. It highlighted factors that make the Midwest ideal for passenger-rail development, such as populous cities at distances that trains can bridge quickly, efficiently, and affordably. The TV news segment also displayed and discussed a map from the High Speed Rail Alliance, with a vision for passenger rail in the Midwest.
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