April 5, 2022

RAIL

MOVING AMERICA FORWARD

Federal Railroad Administration

Railroad Crossing Elimination Program Listening Session
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Listening Session Overview

• Railroad Crossing Elimination Program Overview

• Eligible Applicants

• Eligible Projects

• Program Conditions

• Discussion 
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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

Advanced Appropriations $600

Authorized Funding 

(Fully Authorized Levels)

$500

BIL Authorization & Appropriations in millions (M)

Status of Funding Opportunities

NOFO: Notice of Funding Opportunity

PROGRAM PURPOSE

Upcoming Funding Opportunities
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• 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
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• 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
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Rural and Tribal Set Aside

• Not less than 20% of total funding is reserved for projects located in 

rural areas or on Tribal lands

o Not less than 5% of these funds are reserved for projects in 

counties with 20 or fewer residents per square mile

Railroad Crossing Elimination – Program Conditions

Grant Conditions

• Minimum 20% Non-Federal matching share

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

State Limitation

• No more than 20% of total funding in any fiscal year may be selected for 

projects in a single State.

Planning

• Not less than 3% of total funding is for planning projects

o Not less than 25% of these funds is for planning projects in rural 

areas or on Tribal lands.

Crossing Safety Information and Education Program

• 0.25% of total 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.
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• 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
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Opportunity for Feedback

Metrics for Safety Improvement

Host Railroad/Infrastructure 

Owner Support

Program Funding Activities 

and Set-Asides
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Metrics for Safety Improvement
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Host Railroad/Infrastructure Owner 

Support
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Program Funding Activities 

and Set Asides
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Other Comments
Contact Us

Federal Railroad Administration

1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE

Washington, DC 20590

Connect with us USDOTFRA

Ryan Arbuckle

Email: Ryan.Arbuckle@dot.gov

FRA Governmental Affairs

Email: FRAGA@dot.gov

FRA Public Affairs

Email: FRAPA@dot.gov