March 16, 2022

RAIL

MOVING AMERICA FORWARD

Railroad Crossing Elimination and Grade 

Crossing Safety Improvements
2

Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) | Rail Development Goals
3

FRA Grant Program Opportunities Under BIL

Programs Purpose Appropriated Additional Authorized Over 

Five Years* Total

Consolidated Rail 

Infrastructure and Safety 

Improvements (CRISI)

To fund projects that improve the safety, 

efficiency, or reliability of intercity passenger and 

freight rail.

$5 billion 

($1 billion annually)

$5 billion 

($1 billion annually) $10 billion

Railroad Crossing 

Elimination (New)

To promote highway rail or pathway-rail grade crossing 

improvement projects that focus on improving the 

safety and mobility of people and goods.

$3 billion 

($600 million annually)

$2.5 billion 

($500 million annually) $5.5 billion

Federal-State 

Partnership for 

Intercity Passenger Rail

(Significantly Changed)

To fund capital projects that reduce the state of good 

repair backlog, improve performance, or expand or 

establish new intercity passenger rail service, including 

privately operated intercity passenger rail service if an 

eligible applicant is involved.

$36 billion 

($7.2 billion annually)

$7.5 billion 

($1.5 billion annually) $43.5 billion

Restoration & Enhancement To provide operating assistance to initiate, restore, or 

enhance intercity passenger rail service.

$250 million 

($50 million annually from Amtrak 

National Network fund)

$250 million 

($50 million annually) $500 million

Interstate Rail Compacts 

(New)

This program will provide funding for interstate rail 

compacts' administrative costs and to conduct railroad 

systems planning, promotion of intercity passenger 

rail operations, and the preparation of grant 

applications.

$15 million

($3 million annually)

$15 million

($3 million annually) $30 million

* At fully authorized levels
4

Railroad Crossing Elimination – Program Overview 

• To fund highway-rail or pathway-rail grade crossing improvement projects that focus on improving the safety and 

mobility of people and goods.

Year

Currently 

Available 

Funding (M)

Status

FY22 $600 NOFO Expected Late Spring 2022

FY22

Appropriations $600

Authorized $500

BIL Authorization & Appropriations in millions (M)

Status of Funding Opportunities

NOFO: Notice of Funding Opportunity

PROGRAM PURPOSE

Upcoming Funding Opportunities
5

• States, including the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and other U.S. territories 

and possessions.

• Political subdivision of a State.

• Federally recognized Indian Tribe.

• A unit of local government or a group of local governments.

• A public port authority.

• A metropolitan planning organization.

• A group of the entities described above.

Railroad Crossing Elimination – Eligible Applicants

ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS
6

• Grade separation or closure including through use of a bridge, 

embankment, tunnel or combination thereof.

• Track relocation.

• Improvement or installation of protective devices, signals, signs, or other 

measures to improve safety related to a separation, closure, or track 

relocation project.

• Other means to improve the safety if related to the mobility of people and 

goods at highway-rail grade crossings (including technological solutions).

• The planning, environmental review, and design of an eligible project type.

Railroad Crossing Elimination – Eligible Projects

ELIGIBLE PROJECT CRITERIA
7

• Not less than 20 percent of funds are reserved for projects located in rural 

areas or on Tribal lands.

• Not less than 5 percent of these funds are reserved for projects in 

counties with 20 or fewer residents per square mile.

Railroad Crossing Elimination – Program Conditions

Grant Conditions

Rural and Tribal Set Aside

• Minimum 20 percent non-Federal matching share

• No grant awarded shall be smaller than $1,000,000, except for planning 

grants.
8

• Not less than 3 percent of funding is for planning projects

• Not less than 25 percent of these funds is for planning projects in rural 

areas or on Tribal lands. 

Railroad Crossing Elimination – Program Conditions

Planning

• Not more than 20 percent of funds in any fiscal year may be selected for 

projects in any single State.

State Limitation

Crossing Safety Information and Education Program 

• 0.25 percent of funding shall be for highway-rail grade crossing safety information 

and education programs to help prevent and reduce pedestrian, motor vehicle, and 

other accidents, incidents, injuries, and fatalities; and to improve awareness along 

railroad rights-of-way and at highway-rail grade crossings.
9

CRISI – Program Overview 

• To fund projects that improve the safety, efficiency, and/or reliability of intercity passenger and freight rail systems

Year Available 

Funding (M) Status

FY18 (PTC) $250 Awards announced August and December 2018

FY18 $318 Awards announced June 2019

FY19 $244 Awards announced March 12, 2020

FY20 $311 Awards announced September 23, 2020

FY21 $362 Awards expected Spring 2022

FY22 $1,000 Notice of Funding Opportunity expected Summer 2022

FY18 FY19 FY20 FY21

Authorization $230 $255 $330 $330

Appropriation $592.5 $255 $325 $375

Authorization & Appropriations (M)

Status of Funding Opportunities









GRANT PURPOSE

CRISI ‒ Recent & Upcoming Funding Opportunities
10

• A State (including the District of Columbia) or group of States. 

• An Interstate Compact.

• Public agencies or publicly chartered authorities established by 1 or more States.

• Political subdivision of a State.

• Amtrak or other intercity passenger rail carrier.

• Class II or III railroads and associations that represent a Class II or III railroad.

• Any rail carrier or equipment manufacturer in partnership with at least one state entity, 

public agency, and/or local government.

• Federally recognized Indian Tribe.

• The Transportation Research Board (TRB) together with any entity with which it contracts in 

the development of rail-related research, including cooperative research programs.

• A university transportation center engaged in rail-related research.

• A non-profit labor organization representing a class or craft of employees of rail carriers or 

rail carrier contractors.

CRISI – Program Overview 

ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS
11

• Wide Range of Rail Capital Projects

• Congestion mitigation

• Ridership growth facilitation 

• Enhancements to multimodal connections

• Improvements to short-line or regional 

railroad infrastructure

• Railroad Safety Technology 

• Track, Station, and Equipment Improvements for 

Intercity Passenger Rail

• Grade Crossing Improvements

• Rail Line Relocation and Improvement 

• Regional and Corridor Service Planning and 

corresponding Environmental Analyses

• Safety Programs and Institutes

• Research

• Workforce Development and Training

• New in BIL: 

• Measures that prevent trespassing

• Preparation of emergency plans for 

hazardous materials are 

transported by rail

• Rehab or procurement of 

locomotives, provided that such 

activities result in a significant 

reduction of emissions.

At least 25% of funds is reserved for 

rural projects

CRISI – Program Overview 

ELIGIBLE PROJECT CRITERIA
12

Federal-State Partnership (non-NEC) – Program Overview 

• To fund capital projects that reduce the state of good repair backlog, improve performance, or expand or establish 

new intercity passenger rail service, including privately operated intercity passenger rail service if an eligible applicant 

is involved.

Year Available 

Funding (B) Status

FY21 $ Awards expected Summer 2022

FY22 $2.4 Notice of Funding Opportunity expected Fall 2022

FY22 FY23 FY24 FY25 FY26

Appropriation $2.4 $2.4 $2.4 $2.4 $2.4

Authorization $.75* $.75 $.75 $.75 $.75

Authorization & Appropriations (B)

Status of Funding Opportunities

GRANT PURPOSE

CRISI ‒ Recent & Upcoming Funding Opportunities

* $7,500 million authorized over 5 years with at least 45% for NEC projects and 45% for non-NEC projects. For illustrative purposes, a 50% split is shown.
13

• A State (including the District of Columbia) or group of States. 

• An Interstate Compact.

• Public agencies or publicly chartered authorities established by 1 or more States.

• Political subdivision of a State.

• Amtrak, acting on its own behalf or under a cooperative agreement with 1 or more States.

• Class II or III railroads and associations that represent a Class II or III railroad.

• Federally recognized Indian Tribe.

• Any combination of the entities above.

Federal-State Partnership (non-NEC) – Program Overview 

ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS
14

• A project to replace, rehabilitate, or repair 

infrastructure, equipment, or a facility used for 

providing intercity passenger rail service to bring such 

assets into a state of good repair.

• A project to improve intercity passenger rail service 

performance, including reduced trip times, increased 

train frequencies, higher operating speeds, improved 

reliability, expanded capacity, reduced congestion, 

electrification, and other improvements, as 

determined by the Secretary.

• A project to expand or establish new 

intercity passenger rail service.

• A group of related projects as described 

above. 

• The planning, environmental review, and 

final design of an eligible project or 

group of projects described above.

Federal-State Partnership (non-NEC) – Program Overview 

ELIGIBLE PROJECT CRITERIA
15

How to Apply and Available Grant Resources

https://railroads.dot.gov/grantadministration/applyinggrants/competitive-grantsapplication-process

Information on how to apply:

https://railroads.dot.gov/railnetwork-development/trainingguidance/training-guidance

Webinars and Technical Assistance:

https://www.whitehouse.gov/wpcontent/uploads/2022/01/BUILDI

NG-A-BETTERAMERICA_FINAL.pdf#page=55

White House Guidebook:
16

FRA Stakeholder Engagement Opportunities

FRA has a Request for Information in the Federal Register 

related to the development of the Corridor Identification and 

Development Program and encourages all interested parties 

to submit comments by March 9th.

https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/02/07/202

2-02450/request-for-information-for-the-corridoridentification-and-development-program

FRA will conduct three focused listening sessions related to the 

development of the Railroad Crossing Elimination Program. The 

information in these listening sessions will help FRA as it develops the 

program.

• Listening Sessions are tentatively scheduled for end of March

CURRENT ENGAGEMENT

UPCOMING ENGAGEMENT
17

• Blocked crossings pose potential safety 

risks, specifically in locations where trains 

routinely hinder roadway and pedestrian 

movement for extended periods. 

• To address this potential safety risk, FRA 

established the Blocked Crossing Portal in 

2019.

• Portal requests specific information from 

users reporting blocked crossings—

including date, time, location and 

duration that crossing is blocked.

Grade Crossing Safety Information

BLOCKED CROSSING PORTAL

http://www.fra.dot.gov/blockedcrossings
18

• The establishment of Quiet 

Zones aren’t eligible projects 

covered within any existing FRA 

grant program.

• The best path to obtaining a 

Quiet Zone is through improving 

the safety of the grade crossing.

Quiet Zone Application Process

HOW TO OBTAIN A QUIET ZONE 

https://railroads.dot.gov/elibrary/how-create-quiet-zone

More information about the 

establishment of Quiet Zones can be 

found here:
19

FRA Technical Assistance for Grantees

FRA conducts webinars throughout the year to educate 

grantees about the application and program delivery process. 

Upcoming webinars include:

• Section 106 – March 8

• Benefit Cost Analysis – Spring 2022

FRA’s Training and Guidance webpage has a wealth of videos and 

webinars on topics such as:

• Cost estimating

• Environmental streamlining

• Grade crossing project planning tools

• Grant application process

UPCOMING VIRTUAL TRAININGS

ON-DEMAND TRAINING
20

Responsibility to be good stewards of 

taxpayer funds.

Next Steps and Takeaways

Process takes time.

• FRA is looking at ways to streamline and improve.

• Looking to make sure grant programs are 

available throughout the year.

Need to Build Back Better, the first time!

• Starts by listening and engaging with YOU, our 

stakeholders.
21

FRA Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Website

For more information about the 

Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and 

rail, please visit our website.

https://railroads.dot.gov/BIL