1

FRA's Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and 

Safety Improvements Program

RURAL PROJECTS

Alaska – M.P. 25.7 Trail River Bridge Replacement 

Up to $4,110,480

Alaska Railroad Corporation

Replaces a timber railroad bridge over the Trail River, approximately 23 miles north of Seward, Alaska. The 

new bridge will support the Alaska Railroad Corporation’s freight and passenger rail services and operations 

by allowing industry standard gross weight capabilities of 286,000-pound railcars and intermodal double-stack 

cars. 

Arkansas – LNW 286K Upgrade (Qualified Opportunity Zone)

Up to $3,420,224

Louisiana and North West Railroad Company, LLC

Upgrades track and builds additional sidings on the Louisiana and Northwest Railroad’s (LNW) McNeil 

Subdivision in Columbia County, Arkansas. The project consists of improvement to approximately 25 miles of 

mainline track by installing approximately 9.4 miles of jointed rail along with approximately 7,800 ties, 

surfacing approximately 17 miles of track, and building three additional sidings. The improvements to the 

mainline would allow the applicant to handle 286,000-pound tank cars.

Colorado – Animas River Bridge Replacement (Opportunity Zone)

Up to $1,945,019

Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad

Builds a replacement railroad bridge over the Animas River on a tourist narrow gauge rail line that connects 

Durango and Silverton, Colorado. The new bridge will be built approximately 15 feet upstream of the existing 

structure, and would allow the applicant to be in full compliance with FRA’s Bridge Safety Standards. 

Florida – Rail Crossing Improvements and Dynamic Envelope Markings (Multiple Opportunity Zones)

Up to $2,309,531

Florida Department of Transportation

Designs and constructs dynamic envelope pavement markings, “Do Not Stop on Tracks” signs, and repaving 

at approximately 13 grade crossings in rural parts of St. Lucie and Palm Beach Counties, Florida, on crossings 

owned by CSX and South Central Florida Express, a subsidiary of U.S. Sugar. The project aims to reduce the 

likelihood of drivers stopping on or too close to railroad tracks, and to increase the lifespan of the crossing. 
2

Idaho – Magic Valley Rail Safety & Capacity Expansion (Opportunity Zone)

Up to $7,491,315

Idaho Department of Transportation

Expands the Eastern Idaho Railroad Gular Yard facility in Rupert, Idaho. Consists of extending the yard track 

and adding a new passing track to relocate switching operations that currently block the crossing at State 

Highway 24/8th Street. It also includes rail replacement on the main line track through the yard, removal of 

two of the four tracks at the 8th Street crossing, and upgrades at the 100 North crossing. 

Indiana – Safer Railroad Crossings in Nappanee 

Up to $1,418,000

Civil City of Nappanee, IN

Improves seven at-grade crossings in Nappanee, Indiana. Specifically, this project will fund the installation of 

Constant Warning Time Circuitry; roadway modifications (including channelization, medians, curbing, or 

closing commercial driveways); improved vertical geometry for low-ground-clearance vehicle crossings; a 

safety program to educate drivers about local safety issues related to crossings; and suicide prevention

outreach materials along a 2.5-mile rail corridor. Upon completion, the seven public crossings in this corridor, 

which average 44 trains per day, will meet all requirements to establish a Quiet Zone, with an expected

reduction in the FRA Quiet Zone Risk Index by over half. 

Iowa – Manly Subdivision Continuous Welded Rail Installation Project 

Up to $3,857,331

Iowa Northern Railway Company

Installs approximately 18.2 miles of new 115-lb. continuous welded rail to replace jointed rail on Iowa 

Northern Railway Company (IANR) track in north-central Iowa resulting in increased safety and lower 

maintenance costs. 

Iowa – Iowa River Bridge Project 

Up to $5,464,793

Cedar Rapids and Iowa City Railway Co.

Replaces the 118-year-old Iowa River Bridge at MP 18.15 on the Cedar Rapids and Iowa City Railroad’s 

(CRANDIC) Amana Subdivision, spanning the Iowa River near Middle Amana, Iowa. The project consists of 

raising the new bridge 30 inches to clear the 100-year flood height, lengthening and widening the through truss 

span of the bridge, and increasing the load capacity to 286,000 pounds, which exceeds the design loads of the 

existing bridge. 

Louisiana – Beaumont Subdivision Corridor Railroad Crossing Safety Improvements Project (Multiple 

Opportunity Zones)

Up to $3,949,450

Louisiana Department of Transportation

Installs predictive warning time systems with flashing lights, gate arms, and upgraded motion detectors at 

approximately 24 crossings along a 157-mile rail corridor on Kansas City Southern’s Beaumont Subdivision 

between Frierson and Starks, Louisiana. Gates, signals, and predictive controllers will be added to 

approximately 20 crossings, and aging gates and signals at four crossings would be replaced. In addition, the 

project will close four crossings with low roadway traffic volumes. The corridor averages 14 trains a day, 79 

percent of which carry hazardous products. The project aims to reduce the potential for grade crossing 

collisions between trains and roadway users, and to provide more consistent crossing signal activation times. 
3

Maine – Pine Tree Corridor 286K Capacity and Safety Improvements (Multiple Opportunity Zones)

Up to $16,876,760

Springfield Terminal Railway Company (a subsidiary of Pan Am Railways)

Replaces approximately 75 miles of rail, installs approximately 55,000 ties, upgrades approximately 72 grade 

crossings, and strengthens approximately five bridges in central Maine between Waterville and north to 

Mattawamkeag. These investments will improve the 110-mile rail corridor while allowing faster speeds (from 

10 to 25 miles per hour) and increasing the ability to accommodate 286,000-pound cars on the rail line.

Maryland – Freight Rail Chestertown Line: Worton Track Safety Project 

Up to $2,500,000

Maryland Department of Transportation

Rehabilitates approximately 1,960 feet of track, including installation of new rail, crossties, ballast, and 

installation of a new Number 8 turnout on track owned by Maryland Department of Transportation and

Maryland Transit Administration (Maryland DOT/MTA). The project will also include drainage 

improvements to address flooding and saturation of the track bed near Worton, on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. 

The improved track conditions will extend the life of the track, reduce the likelihood of derailments, and 

sustain safe operation of railroad freight service to shippers on the Chestertown line. 

Massachusetts – Pioneer Valley Bridge Strike Prevention, Rehabilitation, and Safety Project 

Up to $1,797,114

Pioneer Valley Railroad

Replaces the 103-year-old East Mountain Road Bridge on the Pioneer Valley Railroad’s (PVRR) mainline in 

Hampden County, Massachusetts. The project will install beams, signage, and warning lights to reduce 

vehicular impacts, as well as replace approximately 10,000 feet of rail and ties along the Easthampton Branch, 

and surface approximately 10.5 miles of track on either side of the bridge. With six reported strikes since May 

2017, PVRR predicts that the bridge will be out of service by 2023 due to repeated and future strikes. 

Michigan – Trespass Prevention and Pedestrian Safety Enhancements on the Michigan Line (Multiple 

Opportunity Zones)

Up to $15,619,365

Michigan Department of Transportation

Seeks to eliminate trespasser hotspots along the rail line from Dearborn to Kalamazoo, Michigan, owned by 

the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT), by improving eight grade crossings, closing another 

crossing, and installing approximately 157 miles of right-of-way fencing. The hotspot locations are found in 

downtown Dearborn, Ypsilanti, Ann Arbor, Albion, Augusta, Galesburg, and Kalamazoo. Trespassing 

incidents have resulted in 12 deaths between 2016 and 2019. 

Mississippi – Central Mississippi Rural Safety and Rail Improvement Revitalization Project 

(Opportunity Zone)

Up to $6,221,020

Grenada Railroad LLC

Improves infrastructure and equipment for the Grenada Mississippi Railroad (GRYR) between Grenada and 

Canton, Mississippi, by upgrading approximately 25 railroad bridges to handle 286,000-pound railcars; 

upgrading/repairing approximately 100 miles of ties and rail; building a locomotive pit; and purchasing 

tamper, regulator, and tie-inserter equipment. This project will repair existing track and infrastructure, allow 

for 286,000-pound railcar operations, and more efficient ongoing maintenance. 
4

Missouri – Thayer-North Rail Corridor At-Grade Consolidation and Safety Improvement Project 

Up to $10,357,239

Missouri Department of Transportation

Funds one grade separation and associated road alignments along the U.S. 60 and BNSF Thayer-North Rail 

Corridor in Webster County, Missouri. The project also closes eight additional at-grade crossings. 

Nebraska – Velocity Enhanced Rail Transportation Improving Competitiveness and Logistics Project 

(Multiple Opportunity Zones)

Up to $4,505,542

Nebraska Kansas Colorado Railway

Installs approximately 42,595 ties, 15,990 tons of ballast, and resurfaces 562,848 track feet on the Nebraska, 

Kansas & Colorado Railway (NKCR) in western Nebraska and eastern Colorado. The project allows for 

removal of slow orders on approximately 106.6 miles of track and restore operating speeds to FRA Class III

(40 miles per hour) over most of the line. The improvements would reduce overall trip times along the corridor 

by a minimum of four hours and reduce operating costs by reducing locomotive utilization and allowing for 

crews to make a round-trip along the line within one day. 

New Hampshire – New Hampshire Northcoast Infrastructure Project (Multiple Opportunity Zones)

Up to $4,562,905

New Hampshire Northcoast Railroad

Comprises four components along the New Hampshire Northcoast’s (NHN) Railroad mainline between 

Ossipee and Rollinsford, New Hampshire, and Eastern Propane Gas’s (EPG) property in North Rochester, 

New Hampshire. The first component replaces approximately 20,000 ties and replaces four miles of 

continuous welded rail and associated ballast work; the second equips one locomotive with positive train 

control (PTC) and three locomotives with Cab Signal Systems; the third upgrades two grade crossings; and the 

fourth builds two rail spurs, one at the EPG facility and the other along the NHN mainline. 

New Mexico – SW Chief Raton Route Modernization Program (Opportunity Zone)

Up to $5,629,610

National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak)

Improves Amtrak’s Southwest Chief between Trinidad, Colorado, and control point (CP) Madrid in New 

Mexico, located between Lamy and Albuquerque. Specifically, the project converts approximately 12.4 miles 

of bolted rail to welded rail between Lamy and CP Madrid, installs approximately 14,750 new ties over a 31-

mile section south of Raton Pass and a separate 6-mile segment in New Mexico; rebuilds the timber decks of 

two railroad bridges; and performs rock scaling in Raton Pass, Glorieta Pass, and Shoemaker Canyon. The 

project also rebuilds three grade crossings where rail, gauge, and the pavement have deteriorated. The project 

eliminates imminent speed restrictions, generates savings in the maintenance of bolted rail and the close 

inspection and frequent repairs of aging railroad bridges, improves infrastructure, and reduces the risk of 

accidents caused by falling rock along the right-of-way. 
5

New Mexico – Santa Teresa At-Grade Separation (Opportunity Zone)

Up to $1,320,000

County of Doña Ana 

Completes preliminary engineering and requirements necessary for Federal environmental review for a gradeseparated overpass over the Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) line at the northern entrance of two industrial 

parks, in Santa Teresa, New Mexico. Once construction is complete, the project is intended to provide 

enhanced safety by reducing rail-vehicle conflicts and improve efficiency for movements into and out of the 

industrial parks, as well as a recently constructed UPRR inland port. 

North Carolina – Strategic Railway System Safety State of Good Repair and Congestion Mitigation 

Program (Multiple Opportunity Zones)

Up to $13,156,886

Aberdeen, Carolina & Western

Rehabilitates three railroad bridges, constructs two new sidings, installs approximately 83,500 new crossties, 

replaces rail along approximately 6 miles of track, and constructs two new storage and two new switching 

yards on the Aberdeen, Carolina & Western Railway (ACWR) located in south central North Carolina. The 

track improvements will take place along a 70-mile rail segment between Charlotte and Star, North Carolina,

and an additional 33 miles from Star to Aberdeen, North Carolina. Enhancements will improve safety, 

capacity, and efficiency to accommodate growing freight traffic. 

Ohio – Linking Lima Project (Multiple Opportunity Zones)

Up to $4,530,546

Ohio Rail Development Commission

Rehabilitates the Chicago, Ft. Wayne & Eastern Railroad (CFE) between Lima, Ohio, and Ft. Wayne, Indiana. 

Installs new ballast and ties, converts approximately 10.8 track miles from jointed rail to continuous welded 

rail, replaces seven turnouts, rehabilitates one turnout, and reconstructs yard tracks. The improvements will 

increase yard speeds from 5 to 10 miles per hour in the Lima Yard and from 10 to 40 miles per hour on the 

mainline track, and allow for increased freight gross tonnage for steel, agricultural, energy, and manufactured 

goods shipments. 

Ohio – Youngstown & Southeastern Railroad Company Mahoning Valley Revival 

Up to $700,050

Ohio Rail Development Commission

Rehabilitates approximately 25 miles of mainline rail on the Youngstown & Southeastern Railroad (YSSR), 

between Struthers, Ohio, and Signal, Ohio. Installs approximately 10,100 ties, as well as surfacing, switch 

renewal, bolt tightening, and at-grade crossing improvements. The rehabilitation would increase allowable 

speed on 7 miles of the line from 5 to 10 miles per hour and increase reliability and capacity on a line that 

experienced two derailments in 2019. 
6

Ohio – Keep Ohio Moving Project (Multiple Opportunity Zones)

Up to $2,226,315

Ohio Rail Development Commission

Improves four different corridors owned by R.J. Corman Group (RJC) across Ohio. Approximately 28 miles of 

rail line will be improved: a 2.5-mile segment of the Wooster Branch in Wayne County; a 5-mile segment of 

the Main Line in Stark County; 6-mile and 3-mile segments of the Spencerville-Elgin (SPEG) Line in Allen 

County; and a 12-mile segment of the St. Mary’s Line in Mercer County. The project will install 

approximately 20,500 ties and 500 switch ties, and resurface 28 miles of rail along these four lines.

Ohio – Napoleon, Defiance & Western Safety Upgrade (Multiple Opportunity Zones)

Up to $4,112,452

Ohio Rail Development Commission

Upgrades approximately 10 miles of 80-pound rail with 132-/136-pound rail, and replace approximately 

29,000 ties on 29 miles of the Napoleon, Defiance & Western (NDW) Railroad between Woodburn, Indiana 

and Defiance, Ohio. The project improves the rail line from marginal excepted condition to FRA Class I track 

to reduce numerous derailments. 

Oklahoma – Kiamichi Tri-State Rail Project (Opportunity Zone)

Up to $10,006,289

Oklahoma Department of Transportation

Improves the Kiamichi Railroad in southeast Oklahoma, northeast Texas, and southeast Arkansas. Most of the 

project work will be in Oklahoma in Tribal Lands of the Choctaw Nation. The project replaces approximately 

23 miles of rail and 15 turnouts, reinforces 31 bridges, resurfaces 17 curves, restores 13 miles of track, and 

upgrades nearly three dozen road crossings across four subdivisions. The project is part of a multiyear effort to 

increase speeds to 25 miles per hour and allow 286,000-pound rail carloads across the network.

Tennessee – Cumberland River Bridge Rehabilitation and Automation Project (Opportunity Zones)

Up to $2,207,206

R.J. Corman Railroad Group

Rehabilitates and automates the Cumberland River Bridge’s turning mechanism and remote dispatch 

integration on the R.J. Corman Memphis Line over the Cumberland River in Clarksville, Tennessee. Repairs 

the turning mechanism for the drawspan and eliminates turn malfunctions as well as reduces unexpected 

delays for river and rail traffic across the bridge. As of 2020, approximately 35 percent of bridge turns resulted 

in failure, with an average time to resolution of 2 hours. Automation and remote dispatch of the turning 

mechanism will create operational efficiencies and reduce human personnel to manually operate the turning 

mechanism. 
7

Texas – Henderson Overton Branch Rail Line Rehab and Train Siding Improvement (Opportunity 

Zone)

Up to $8,480,323

Blacklands Railroad, Inc.

Improves the safety and reliability of track owned by Rusk County Rural Rail District and operated by the 

Blacklands Railroad in Rusk County, Texas. Installs new railroad ties to refurbish approximately 13.7 miles of 

rail between Overton and Henderson; construct three interchange sidings with Union Pacific at Overton; 

construct one unit train siding at Henderson; and purchase equipment including locomotives, crew cars, and 

high-railers. Rehabilitation of the line allows for an increase of freight rail speed from 10 to 25 miles per hour, 

and construction of the sidings will increase operational efficiency and lower operating costs by reducing 

operating hours by 6 hours every day.

Texas – Harwood Interchange Improvement Project 

Up to $2,223,768

Texas Gonzales and Northern Railway

Improves the Texas, Gonzales, and Northern Railway’s (TXGN) interchange point with Union Pacific 

Railroad (UPRR) at Harwood, Texas. Improves approximately 9,000 feet of track; builds a new siding parallel 

to TXGN’s mainline running south from the interchange along with associated switch improvements;

improves road access to the interchange area; and replaces two small wood trestle railroad bridges with 

concrete culverts. Extending the siding allows TXGN to accommodate UPRR’s longer trains, and the bridge 

upgrades will allow TXGN to handle 286,000-pound rail carloads. 

Virginia – Continuous Welded Rail and Corridor Improvement Program on the Buckingham Branch 

North Mountain Subdivision (Multiple Qualified Opportunity Zones)

Up to $13,670,000

Buckingham Branch Railroad Co.

Funds improvements to the Buckingham Branch Railroad’s line between Charlottesville and Clifton Forge, 

Virginia. Installs continuous welded rail over approximately 70 miles and improves associated ballast;

upgrades approximately 14 grade crossings and five railroad bridges; installs drain systems in the Afton 

railroad tunnel liner to reduce ice buildup; and improves clearances in two additional railroad tunnels. The 

project improves reliability and resiliency and opens larger freight car opportunities with the tunnel clearance 

improvements. 

Washington – Elma Junction Safety, Capacity, and Efficiency Project 

Up to $1,374,399

Puget Sound & Pacific Railroad

Constructs a 1-mile-long mainline siding and automates two switches in Elma, Washington, along the Puget 

Sound and Pacific Railroad (PSAP). Replaces manual switches and constructs a siding to allow for safer and 

more efficient operations at a capacity-constrained junction point on the PSAP network just north of the BNSF 

and Union Pacific interchange in Centralia, Washington. Increases operational efficiencies by reducing the 

frequency and complexity of the railroad’s switching movements within downtown Elma thereby reducing

blocked crossings where both the community and the railroad project steady growth. 
8

Wisconsin – Twin Cities-Milwaukee-Chicago Intercity Passenger Rail Service Project (Qualified 

Opportunity Zone)

Up to $31,800,000

Wisconsin Department of Transportation

Funds six infrastructure improvements in Wisconsin and Minnesota on Canadian Pacific’s Soo Line serving 

Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota, to add the first state-supported intercity 

passenger rail frequency between the Twin Cities and Milwaukee to contribute to an eighth round-trip on the 

Hiawatha service between Milwaukee and Chicago. The Twin Cities are currently only served by Amtrak’s 

long-distance Empire Builder route. Upgrades communication and signaling, extends rail sidings, improves atgrade crossings, extends yard lead track, and reconstructs and modifies new turnouts and mainline track. 

Projects eligible under 49 U.S.C. § 22907(c)(2) that require the acquisition of rights-of-way, 

track, or track structure projects to support the development of new intercity passenger rail 

service routes 

North Carolina – Southeast Corridor Acquisition Project (Multiple Opportunity Zones)

Up to $47,551,484

North Carolina Department of Transportation

Purchases right-of-way along CSX’s S-Line rail corridor from Raleigh, North Carolina, to 

Ridgeway, North Carolina, to preserve the corridor for future intercity passenger rail service. 

The purchase of the S-Line is a first step toward four new state-supported intercity passenger 

train frequencies operating between Richmond and Raleigh with one-hour shorter trip times. 

Currently, there is no direct passenger rail or freight service along the CSX S-Line between 

Richmond, Virginia, and Raleigh, North Carolina, due to approximately 70 miles of the route 

being out of service between Petersburg, Virginia, and Ridgeway, North Carolina. The project 

allows for improved freight capacity, reliability, and resiliency on the A-Line. The selected 

amount also reflects $2,551,484 in FY 2018 CRISI restoration or initiation carry-over funds. 

REMAINING PROJECTS

California – Pedestrian and Vehicle Safety Enhancements to the Intersection of J Street and 

Prosperity Avenue 

Up to $2,240,077

City of Tulare

Enhances grade crossing safety at the intersection of J Street and Prosperity Avenue, on Union Pacific’s 

railroad in Tulare, California. Improves pedestrian and vehicle safety, including elements such as a pre-signal 

for eastbound traffic, advanced pre-emption, traffic signal upgrades, upgrades to the rail crossing infrastructure 

and signal infrastructure, new pedestrian facilities that are ADA-compliant, new striping, and minor pavement 

improvements.
9

Colorado – Front Range Passenger Rail Preliminary Service Development Plan and Railroad 

Simulation Modeling Study (Multiple Opportunity Zones)

Up to $548,000

City of Trinidad

Completes an alternatives analysis and service planning analyses for a future 180-mile intercity passenger rail 

corridor between Pueblo and Fort Collins, Colorado. Possible future Front Range Passenger Rail Commission

(FRPR) alignments are generally within or adjacent to the Class I railroad rights-of-way (BNSF or Union 

Pacific), or adjacent to the Colorado Department of Transportation–owned Interstate 25 rights-of-way. 

Florida – Boca Raton Passenger Rail Station 

Up to $16,350,000

City of Boca Raton

Constructs a new passenger rail station and parking garage in Boca Raton, Florida. This project will add a 

station into Brightline’s existing train corridor, track improvement work, and construction of a parking garage, 

which will provide an intermodal connection between vehicles and rail.

Florida - CFRC/SunRail Phase 2 South Capacity Improvements 

Up to $5,653,819

Florida Department of Transportation

Constructs the last 1.7-mile segment of second track on the 61.3-mile state-owned Central Florida Rail 

Corridor (CFRC) between Control Point (CP) NE Kissimmee (MP 806.2) near Donegan Avenue and CP 

Middle Kissimmee (MP 807.9) near Neptune Road in Kissimmee, Florida. Five existing grade crossings will 

be updated, including modifications to the existing wayside signal and crossing warning systems, as well as

Positive Train Control. The single-track segment creates a railroad chokepoint and leads to train meet delays. 

Illinois – Springfield Rail Improvements Project - Usable Segment V (Qualified Opportunity Zone)

Up to $10,000,000

City of Springfield

Replaces two existing rail bridges at the South Grand Avenue and Cook Street underpasses with double-track 

bridges, and closes the existing crossing at Jackson Street. The project also constructs double-track bridges for 

the relocated Union Pacific tracks and includes grading, drainage, and track work from south of Grand Avenue 

to Capitol Avenue. 

Iowa – IANR Education and Training Program 

Up to $5,425,464

Iowa Northern Railway Company

Funds up to 30 virtual and in-person training classes for a workforce development and safety program for any 

Class II and III railroad employee to meet FRA safety requirements such as positive train control, track safety 

standards, and the general code of operating rules. In addition, funds four mobile simulators for use shared 

among the Class II and III railroads. Developing virtual training for small railroad employees will improve 

safety for less cost because employees will not need to travel for training. Iowa Northern Railway Company is 

partnering with the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association.
10

Louisiana – New Orleans & Gulf Coast Railway Company (NOGC) Safety and Infrastructure 

Improvements (Opportunity Zone)

Up to $8,262,391

New Orleans & Gulf Coast Railway Company

Improves approximately 24 miles of the NOGC owned Belle Chasse Subdivision and 8 miles of the leased 

Westwego Subdivision from the Union Pacific Railroad (UP) along the Mississippi River in the Orleans and 

Delta region of Louisiana. Rehabilitates two railroad lift bridges, replaces embedded rail on a neighborhood 

road, creates double-main trackage from single-mainline track, completes a tie replacement program, and 

provides first responder hazardous materials emergency response training. 

Maryland – Martin's Yard Northeast Corridor Switch Modernization Project (Opportunity Zone)

Up to $3,100,000

Maryland Transit Administration

Funds the replacement of a hand-thrown turnout with a power-operated turnout where MARC Commuter 

trains enter and exit Martin Yard on the Northeast Corridor (NEC) in Middle River, Maryland. The project 

removes a safety risk for MARC workers, increases intercity passenger rail capacity at Baltimore Penn Station 

by reducing MARC storage there, and improves the fluidity of the NEC in Maryland north of Baltimore. 

Massachusetts – City of Chelsea Quiet Zone (Multiple Opportunity Zones)

(Up to $1,130,000)

City of Chelsea

Installs four-quadrant gates, grade crossing warning signage, and upgrades pavement markings at six railroad 

crossings along a 1.47-mile corridor on the MBTA’s East Route Main Line in Chelsea, Massachusetts. This 

rail corridor carries close to 70 freight and passenger trains per day. The installation of these grade crossing 

safety measures will reduce the FRA Quiet Zone Risk Index by over 80 percent, allowing the City to establish

a Quiet Zone. 

Ohio – Benchmark River and Rail Terminal: Highway/Rail Grade Crossing Safety Improvements 

Up to $1,083,015

Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana Regional Council of Governments

Funds the design and construction of a new traffic signal with railroad pre-emption and a pedestrian call 

button/crosswalk, as well as gates, lights, and bells at two at-grade crossings located between a private rail and 

river terminal facility and a U.S. highway in Cincinnati, Ohio. The project prevents trucks carrying hazardous 

materials from occupying the crossings while waiting for gaps in traffic to exit the terminal and turn onto a 

highway, and provides related pedestrian safety improvements.

Ohio – Enhancing Safe and Efficient Freight Rail/Barge Modal Connections (Opportunity Zone)

Up to $1,235,500

Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana Regional Council of Governments

Constructs an overhead, bi-directional, enclosed conveyer system to transport bulk materials from the 

Cincinnati Bulk Terminals inland marine port to the Central Railroad of Indiana, located in Cincinnati, Ohio. 

The overhead conveyer belt would remove over 46,000 annual truck trips (approximately 0.3 miles each way) 

across a commuter arterial road in Cincinnati between the port and the railyard. 
11

Oregon – Brooklyn Subdivision Rail Corridor Improvement Project (Multiple Opportunity Zones)

Up to $3,691,900

Oregon Department of Transportation

Rehabilitates an inactive 1-mile-long siding along Union Pacific’s single-track mainline on the Pacific 

Northwest Rail Corridor between Portland and Salem, Oregon. Rehabilitating the siding allows freight and 

Amtrak passenger trains to operate more efficiently by allowing trains to overtake and pass each other. The 

project also includes installation of two turnouts and upgrading a signal. Once complete and in service, this 

project eliminates 6 minutes of delay for northbound trains and 9 minutes of delay for southbound trains. 

Pennsylvania – Scranton Area Railroad Improvements (Multiple Opportunity Zones)

Up to $900,000

Delaware-Lackawanna Railroad Co.

Improves four components at the Delaware-Lackawanna Railroad Company’s Green Ridge Yard and at its 

junction with Class I Norfolk Southern (NS) Railway at Hyde Park in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Constructs

connecting track between the South Wye Track and North Wye Track at Hyde Park to allow for a progressive 

movement from the NS junction to the Diamond Branch; constructs additional working tracks and a crossover 

at the new locomotive service and inspection facility at Green Ridge; realigns and extends yard tracks at Green 

Ridge Yard, and provides other site improvements at the locomotive service and inspection facility. 

Pennsylvania – Rail Pulse: The Realization of Railcar Location, Condition, Health, and Telematics 

sensors on the North American Railcar Fleet (Multiple Opportunity Zones)

Up to $7,895,000

Pennsylvania Department of Transportation

Develops a railcar onboard GPS sensor system to provide real-time information on railcar movements and 

condition to shippers, car owners, and railroads. With location, condition, and health information for each 

railcar, operators can better manage consists, incidents, and maintenance needs. The proposed concept is an 

innovative approach that could have safety benefits in addition to increased visibility regarding shipments. 

Texas – Capital Metro Truss & Deck Girder Replacement 

Up to $2,315,570

Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority

Replaces truss and deck girder spans for an approximately 100-year-old railroad bridge along Capital Metro’s 

East Subdivision short line railroad over Walnut Creek in Austin, Texas. Improves related walkways and 

handrails, bridge pier and abutment bearings, new bridge ties, and track surface. 

Texas – Grade Crossing Improvements at FM 1660 S 

Up to $1,451,250

Texas Department of Transportation

Improves railroad grade crossing intersection U.S. 79 and FM 1660 S in the city of Hutto, Texas. Constructs a 

median to prevent or limit the opportunity for drivers to circumnavigate the railroad gates and sidewalks to 

safely channel pedestrians toward a nearby elementary school. Improves the crossing profile to reduce the 

opportunity for low–ground clearance vehicles to become immobilized. Enhances the railroad pre-emption to 

safely clear motorists off the crossing intersection prior to trains approaching. 
12

Texas – Improving the Safety at Highway Railroad Grade Crossings Located in Rural Areas Using 

UAV-CRP Data Analysis 

Up to $241,546

Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station, College Station, TX

Implements drone technology and three-dimensional mapping to study passive grade crossings in rural areas

and determine if unsafe conditions exist for vehicle traffic. 

Washington – Pacific Northwest Rail Corridor Reliability - Landslide Mitigation Phase III 

Up to $3,719,000

Washington Department of Transportation

Constructs landslide catchment walls along approximately 1 mile of track at Milepost 25 on the Pacific 

Northwest Rail Corridor between Seattle, Washington, and Portland, Oregon. This project is Phase 3 of a 

Landslide Mitigation Plan, identifying short-, intermediate-, and long-term activities needed to reduce rail

closures due to landslides. When a landslide occurs, passenger and freight trains are held until the corridor is 

clear of debris and safe for passage. Passengers must be bussed around the impacted segment for 48 hours and 

freight trains are held and slowed, causing a ripple effect to freight operations in the region. Over the past 10 

years, this area has seen 24 landslides, and passengers have been diverted to other forms of transportation 940 

times.