Right Track Act
Bill: S.955 | Sponsor: Sen. Tester, Jon (D-MT)
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works

Summary:
Right Track Act
This bill directs the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to jointly (1) provide recommendations for reducing the number of collisions at highway-rail grade crossings in counties with 10 or fewer residents per square mile; and (2) conduct a public outreach and educational initiative, in cooperation with Operation Lifesaver, to reduce collisions at public highway-rail grade crossings in such counties that includes multimedia resources.
The FRA and the FHWA must use the recommendations to provide technical assistance to states seeking to make rail safety infrastructure improvements.
Additionally, the Department of Transportation must use amounts set aside under the consolidated rail infrastructure and safety improvements grant program to improve grade crossing safety in counties with 10 or fewer residents per square mile.

To require the Federal Railroad Administration and the Federal Highway 
 Administration to provide recommendations for reducing the number of 
   very rural highway-rail grade crossing collisions, to authorize a 
public outreach and educational program to reduce such collisions, and 
         to authorize grants to improve grade crossing safety.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Right Track Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) Collisions at nonsignalized highway-rail grade 
        crossings continue to lead to fatalities in very rural areas.
            (2) In States with extensive rail infrastructure, 
        additional information for protecting grade crossings would be 
        valuable to the general public, State and local governments, 
        and rail operators.

SEC. 3. RECOMMENDATIONS.

    (a) In General.--The Administrator of the Federal Railroad 
Administration and the Administrator of the Federal Highway 
Administration, after consultation with railroads, technology 
developers, manufacturers, relevant State and local agencies, 
institutions of higher education, and law enforcement agencies, shall 
jointly provide recommendations for reducing the number of collisions 
at highway-rail grade crossings in counties with 10 or fewer residents 
per square mile (according to the most recent decennial census) to--
            (1) the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate;
            (2) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation 
        of the Senate;
            (3) the Committee on Appropriations of the House of 
        Representatives;
            (4) the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of 
        the House of Representatives;
            (5) stakeholders involved in consultations under this 
        subsection; and
            (6) the general public.
    (b) Use of Recommendations.--The Administrators shall use the 
recommendations referred to in subsection (a) to provide technical 
assistance to States seeking to make rail safety infrastructure 
improvements.

SEC. 4. PUBLIC OUTREACH AND EDUCATION.

    The Administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration and the 
Administrator of the Federal Highway Administration shall jointly 
conduct a public outreach and educational initiative, in cooperation 
with Operation Lifesaver, to reduce collisions at public highway-rail 
grade crossings in counties with 10 or fewer residents per square mile 
that includes multimedia resources, including resources that are not 
available online.

SEC. 5. GRADE CROSSING SAFETY IMPROVEMENT GRANTS.

    (a) Establishment.--The Secretary of Transportation shall use 
amounts set aside pursuant to subsection (c) for grants to eligible 
recipients (as described in section 22907(b) of title 49, United States 
Code) to improve grade crossing safety in counties with 10 or fewer 
residents per square mile. The Secretary shall prioritize the projects 
receiving grants under this subsection in accordance with the criteria 
set forth in section 22907(e) of title 49, United States Code.
    (b) Priority.--In selecting grant recipients under subsection (a), 
the Secretary shall prioritize projects based on the application of the 
hazard indices and accident prediction formulae described in the 
Federal Highway Administration's Highway-Rail Crossing Handbook
    (c) Funding.--During each of the fiscal years 2022 through 2026, 
$10,000,000 of the amounts appropriated for grants under section 22907 
of title 49, United States Code, shall be set aside for grants 
authorized under subsection (a). The set aside required under this 
subsection shall not overlap with the rural set aside required under 
subsection (g) of such section 22907.
    (d) Report.--Not later than 3 years after the date of the enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary of Transportation shall submit a report to 
the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate 
and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of 
Representatives that describes the implementation of this section.
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