FRA Awards $1.24 Billion for Grade-Crossing Work in 37 States

Published: November 1, 2026

WASHINGTON — The Federal Railroad Administration on Friday, October 30, awarded $1.24 billion for grade-crossing work in 37 states. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy said the fiscal 2025–2026 Railroad Crossing Elimination program will fund 91 grants. The money is aimed at highway-rail conflict points, at closing crossings, and at railroad traffic signals.

Progress Rail GP15-1 1402 at Apollo Road in Eagan MN in October 2024

Progress Rail GP15-1 #1402 and Independent Locomotive Service GP38-2, #1301, roll through a grade crossing at Apollo Road in Eagan, Minnesota on October 10, 2024. Doug Kroll photo.

What the grants pay for

The department’s announcement listed examples from across the country. Texas will receive $46 million for a grade-separated overpass carrying RM 2871 over the Union Pacific and Aledo Road in Fort Worth. Marana, Arizona, will receive $6.4 million to advance a future separation of Tangerine Road and Interstate 10, including environmental review and preliminary design. Nampa, Idaho, will receive $43 million for the Robinson Road and Greenhurst Road overpass, which will take out an at-grade crossing that trains block often. Georgia will receive $31.7 million to tie railroad preemption into traffic signals at about 31 high-risk crossings. The Port Authority of Kansas City will receive $72 million to replace three at-grade crossings in Kansas City, Missouri, with a grade separation.

FRA Administrator David Fink said the grants will give communities money to make highway-rail crossings safer and to cut the number of times trains block them. He said the work is meant to save lives, prevent accidents, and reduce delays. Duffy said protecting travelers and the rail network is part of the administration’s commitment to move people and products.

The largest award, and where the projects sit

Trains reported on October 31 that the largest single award is $107.7 million, to the New York State Department of Transportation. The project separates Roaring Brook Road from Metro-North’s Harlem Line in New Castle. The magazine said that crossing sees 107 passenger trains and more than 9,000 vehicles a day. Texas landed eight projects, the most of any state. California, Georgia, and Washington each landed six. Each recipient has to put up at least 20 percent of the project cost. Trains said the program money comes from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021.

The FRA selection summary that went out with the announcement puts the awarded total at $1,241,951,985. The administration received 264 applications asking for $4,908,506,560. The same summary says the rural and tribal selections total $339,132,944, above the $229,305,600 minimum set aside for those places.

The round before this one

The FRA program page lists the fiscal 2023–2024 round separately: 123 projects in 41 states, from $1,148,809,580 made available for award. The October 30 announcement is the fiscal 2025–2026 selection.

Sources

U.S. Department of Transportation and the Federal Railroad Administration, October 30, 2026. The FRA is investing $1.24 billion through 91 grants in 37 states under the fiscal 2025–2026 Railroad Crossing Elimination program. The release highlights $46 million for the Texas Department of Transportation in Fort Worth, $6.4 million for Marana, Arizona, $43 million for Nampa, Idaho, $31.7 million for the Georgia Department of Transportation, and $72 million for the Port Authority of Kansas City. Quotes from Secretary Sean P. Duffy and FRA Administrator David Fink are taken from that release.
Federal Railroad Administration, FY 2025–2026 Railroad Crossing Elimination selection summary, posted with the October 30 announcement. Amount awarded $1,241,951,985. Applications received, 264. Amount requested, $4,908,506,560. Applications selected, 91. States, 37. Rural or tribal selections, $339,132,944, against a minimum of $229,305,600.
Trains, David Lassen, October 31, 2026. The largest award is $107.7 million for Roaring Brook Road on Metro-North’s Harlem Line in New Castle, New York, a crossing the magazine said sees 107 passenger trains and more than 9,000 vehicles a day. Texas has eight selected projects. California, Georgia, and Washington have six each. Recipients supply at least 20 percent. The program funding comes from the 2021 infrastructure law.
Federal Railroad Administration, Crossing Safety Program page, updated October 30, 2026. The fiscal 2023–2024 round made $1,148,809,580 available and selected 123 projects in 41 states.

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FRA Awards $1.24 Billion for Grade-Crossing Work in 37 States

What the grants pay for

The largest award, and where the projects sit

The round before this one

Related reading on American-Rails.com

Sources