The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) will provide a USD 139 million federal funding through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for rail efficiency and safety to the rural states.
Provided under the Special Transportation Circumstances (STC) grant programme, the funding will support projects to upgrade and safeguard rail infrastructure in Alaska, South Dakota, and Wyoming.
Applications to the programme must be submitted by September 29, 2023.
For Alaska, the eligible projects must be a freight or passenger rail-related capital project while for South Dakota and Wyoming, eligible projects must be freight rail capital projects that are on a state rail plan developed and that provide public benefits.
The STC programme provides grant funding to states that lack intercity passenger rail service or are not connected to the national rail system and includes projects such as upgrading avalanche safety systems, supporting lumber transport, and installing culverts.
Funding for STC projects is set aside from appropriations for the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI), Restoration and Enhancement (R&E), Railroad Crossing Elimination (RCE), and Interstate Rail Compact (IRC) programmes. These investments in communities will play a crucial role in increasing safety while strengthening the supply chain by moving goods faster and at a lower cost.
“This funding will create jobs, grow local economies, and increase rail safety and efficiency in states where geography and other circumstances create unique needs,” FRA Administrator Amit Bose said.
This notice makes available funding for eligible rail efficiency and safety projects through the Consolidated Appropriations Acts of 2017 through 2023.
Federal funds awarded to projects may cover up to 80 per cent of the total project cost. The required 20 percent non-federal share may be composed of public sector (state or local) and/or private sector funding.
This announcement is part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, which is contributing to the development of the American economy from rebuilding country’s infrastructure, to driving over USD 500 billion in private-sector manufacturing and clean energy investments in the United States, to creating well-paying jobs and building a clean-energy economy that will combat climate change and make our communities safe and more resilient.
Photo: Genesee & Wyoming Inc.
Share on:
