The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) announced that it awarded $67.9 million in Railroad Crossing Elimination Grant Program funding to three rail projects in Nebraska.
The funding is part of a $1.1 billion total investment to improve and study more than 1,000 highway rail crossings nationwide, and it’s the largest single investment in grade crossing safety in FRA’s history. Combined with previous rail investments announced under the Biden-Harris Administration, the FRA has invested $48.5 billion in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding in more than 445 rail projects across the country and Amtrak.
The recently-awarded rail grants will provide funds for overpasses and underpasses and fund safety upgrades aiming to result in safer communities for pedestrians and motorists, as well as rail workers and riders.
Projects funded by the Fiscal Year 2023-2024 Railroad Crossing Elimination Grant Program include:
Grand Island Rail Crossing Study – up to $600,000
The proposed project was selected for Project Planning and includes activities to assess the conditions of 17 rail crossings in Grand Island. The project will develop a prioritized Corridor Improvement Plan, recommending crossing closures, grade separations, and targeted safety countermeasures to enhance safety and address unreliable travel routes and emergency response delays caused by frequent train traffic. The City of Grand Island and BNSF will contribute the 20% non-federal match.
City of Lincoln at the 33rd and Cornhusker viaduct – up to $66,706,880
The proposed project was selected for Final Design, right-of-way acquisition and construction and includes activities to eliminate two at-grade crossings in Lincoln. The project will build a new bridge over the rail corridor to eliminate two at-grade railroad crossings at N. 33rd and Adams streets. BNSF, the City of Lincoln, and the Railroad Transportation Safety District will contribute the 20% non-Federal match.
Omaha to Lincoln Rail Crossing Study – up to $600,000
The proposed project was selected for Project Planning and includes activities to evaluate 73 at-grade crossings along 64.5 miles of BNSF track across Nebraska. The project will identify various safety improvements, including crossing closures, installation of active warning devices, realignment of crossings, upgrades to grade crossings, and new roadway connections. The Nebraska Department of Transportation and BNSF Railway will contribute the 20% non-federal match.
The construction of new overpasses and underpasses aims to eliminate the risk of collisions between trains and roadway users and prevent blocked crossings, which delays drivers and emergency responders.
“This Administration is tackling the issues that Americans face every day, and over the years, we have engaged with residents, community leaders, and stakeholders across the country on the issue of grade crossing safety and blocked crossings,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a press release. “The Railroad Crossing Elimination Grant Program funding we’re announcing today is a sweeping effort that directly supports cities, towns, and villages in every region of the country in their efforts to protect lives, prevent drivers being delayed by blocked crossings, and improve the overall quality of life for their citizens.”
Accidents at grade crossings are the second leading cause of rail-related deaths in the United States, with more than 2,000 incidents and 200 fatalities occurring at grade crossings each year. Blockages resulting from slow moving or stalled trains at crossings cost time and resources for American families and may cut off access roads and delay first responders from reaching emergencies. Over the last 12 months, FRA received more than 26,000 complaints of blocked crossings through the agency’s Public Blocked Crossing Incident Reporter.