Monday, August 16, 2004 (Washington, DC) The State of Washington will receive a $994,100 grant to improve highway-rail grade crossings as part of a program to enhance safety and prepare federally designated corridors for future high-speed rail operations.

"These grants will help prevent vehicle-train collisions and move us closer to the day when high-speed rail can be a real option for travelers," said Acting Federal Railroad Administrator Betty Monro.

Washington is part of the Pacific Northwest Corridor connecting Seattle to Portland and Vancouver, British Columbia.

The grant will be used to partially fund the improvement of several BNSF crossings including: to provide new track circuitry at Fir Street, Riverside Drive, College Way, and Hoag Road in Mt. Vernon; to conduct studies to close South Holgate Street in Seattle; and to develop a plan to close or improve 15 private crossings between Stanwood and Mt. Vernon. The funding also contributes toward construction of a pedestrian crossing near First Avenue and Camilla Somers Park in Kelso and a pedestrian underpass near the BNSF White River Trestle and East Valley Highway in Auburn.

Nationally, there are ten high-speed rail corridors being developed that connect cities in 28 states. These rail corridors are meant to provide intercity passenger ground transportation that is as fast as air or automobile travel for trips between 100 and 500 miles.

Washington is one of five states sharing $5.2 million to make improvements to grade crossings in high-speed rail corridors. Similar grants are being released in Alabama, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Wisconsin. Since 1993, the program has improved over 450 crossings nationwide.

The funding is made available under Section 1103 (c) of the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21). The Federal Railroad Administration and Federal Highway Administration jointly manage this grant program.