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U.S. Department of Transportation U.S. Department of Transportation Icon United States Department of Transportation United States Department of Transportation

Improving Rail in Rural Communities

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) is committed to improving rail safety and service in communities across the country. There are several programs that target rural communities for rail infrastructure investment and improvement. FRA's efforts in rural communities complement the U.S. Department of Transportation's (DOT) Rural Opportunities to Use Transportation for Economic Success (ROUTES) program. ROUTES was initiated by DOT to improve rural transportation infrastructure, across all modes, and meet our nation’s priority transportation goals of safety and economic competitiveness.

Recent Initiatives Benefiting Rural Communities

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law

On November 15, 2021, President Biden signed the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). The BILBIL Calendar thumbnail provides unprecedented Federal funding for rail improvement projects in America. Over five years (FY22-FY26), FRA will implement greatly expanded existing programs and launch new programs to enhance our nation’s rail network. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law includes $102 billion in total rail funding, including $66 billion from advanced appropriations, and $36 billion in authorized funding.

One goal of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is to help fund rural projects that address deteriorating conditions and disproportionately high fatality rates and transportation costs in rural communities. The BIL allows FRA to invest in rural communities through its discretionary grant programs as well as its long-term rail planning, such as the Amtrak Daily Long-Distance Service Study.

Discretionary Grant Program Tool

This interactive resource provides stakeholders with a FRA Grants Tooltargeted approach to finding FRA discretionary grant programs based on their respective eligibilities. Prospective grant applicants can find out which grant programs align best with their project type and entity type. Users can then click through to the FRA webpages dedicated to those particular grant programs to learn more about eligibility and consult the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for more detailed information.

Resources

    Rural Spotlight

    FY21 CRISI awards included 21 rural projects in 18 states totaling $183,961,374 out of $368,577,068 available. The FY21 rural awards nearly doubled the required 25% rural set-aside for CRISI. 

    Sierra Northern Railway (SNR) Track Rehabilitation Project
    This project rehabilitates the Oakdale Branch Line from Class I to Class II status replacing 90,000 railroad ties, rehabbing 10 miles of badly worn rail and making improvements to 10 grade crossings. Already freight capacity has increased by 420% and SNR has seen a reduction in costs for both the railroad and their shippers. Increased capacity and track speed has also led to customer growth and benefited the local economy.
     
    Sierra Northern Railway Track Rehabilitation Project
    South Kansas and Oklahoma Railroad (SKOL) Rehabilitation Project    
    This project makes upgrades across hundreds of miles of track—installing new rail, replacing crossties, repairing railroad bridges, and improving grade crossing surfaces. These improvements make the majority of the line 286,000-lb capable and will allow SKOL to move more freight faster and on safer infrastructure.
     
    South Kansas and Oklahoma Rehabilitation Project

       

       

      ROUTES subscription graphic

      Last updated: Tuesday, May 23, 2023