CRISI grants: Projects related to passenger rail to benefit from $79.18 million in funding

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) released a full list of grant recipients to receive funds in the latest round of Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) Program and the Special Transportation Circumstances Program awards. The $326 million will help fund 45 projects in 26 states and includes six projects either specific to or related to intercity passenger rail enhancements. 

“These investments in intercity passenger and freight rail will benefit surrounding communities, make grade crossings safer and improve service reliability,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao.

Funding for the CRISI Program is authorized through the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act and FRA notes that more than one-third of the funds awarded, more than $118 million, will be invested in rural projects.

“These are the partnerships that help rural and urban communities thrive economically,” said FRA Administrator Ronald Batory. “The participation of multiple partners demonstrates the importance of these funds and tells us they will be a key asset in improving safety for communities and railroads around the country.”

A full list of grant awards is available on FRA’s website, but the passenger rail specific projects and related projects are:

Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi — Restoring Intercity Passenger Rail Service Along America’s Gulf Coast

Southern Rail Commission - Up to $32,995,516

Combines 20 Gulf Coast projects in three states, assisting efforts to establish twice daily intercity passenger rail service from New Orleans to Mobile, Alabama, adding a Mobile station and improving grade crossings. Funds preliminary engineering and federal environmental reviews needed to upgrade track to connect Baton Rouge and New Orleans. 

Florida — Amtrak Sanford Subdivision Infrastructure Renewal Project

National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak) - Up to $3,850,000

Rehabilitates 52 miles of CSX Transportation’s A-Line between Palatka and DeLand train stations in Florida. CSX will transfer the renovated track’s ownership to Amtrak. 

Rhode Island — TF Green Airport Intercity Rail Service Preliminary Engineering

Rhode Island Department of Transportation - Up to $2.8 million

Completes preliminary engineering and federal environmental review for a new Amtrak stop at TF Green airport in Warwick, Rhode Island, the only airport adjacent to the Northeast Corridor without direct access to it. 

Wisconsin — Milwaukee Area Passenger and Freight Rail Improvement Project: Milwaukee Intermodal Centralized Train Control Installation

Wisconsin Department of Transportation - Up to $2,699,451

Upgrades signal system to centralized train control on approximately 2 miles of track surrounding the Milwaukee Intermodal Station on the state-supported Hiawatha Amtrak service, building on a fiscal year 2017 CRISI grant to add a second platform at the airport station. Enables the 20 freight trains and 16 passenger trains that daily travel the area to operate closer to permitted speeds. 

California — Construct Improvements at the Fullerton Junction Interlocking and Third Main Track between Control Point Atwood and Control Point Esperanza on the BNSF San Bernardino Subdivision

Southern California Regional Rail Authority - Up to $30 million

Project consists of multiple track and signal improvements, both east and west of the Fullerton train station, including constructing a 4.8-mile third mainline track. Reduces cascading delays to Amtrak, Metrolink and BNSF operations. 

Utah — Vineyard Rail Consolidation Project

Utah Department of Transportation - Up to $6,839,272

Relocates two miles of Union Pacific track that bisects Vineyard City, Utah, thereby eliminating three public crossings, two private crossings and two inactive crossings to make room for residential and commercial growth, including an intermodal bus and rail station.