FRA Announces $291.4MM for Rail Capital Projects

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has issued a $291.4 million notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the Federal-State Partnership for State of Good Repair Grant Program (Partnership Program). This is the third such NOFO for the Partnership Program to help repair and rehabilitate intercity passenger railroad assets.

The Fiscal Year 2020 (FY20) Partnership Program and remaining Fiscal Year 2019 (FY19) funding, which includes $198 million made available by the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act 2020, and $93.4 million that remains unawarded from the Consolidated Appropriations Act 2019, will support capital projects that repair, replace or rehabilitate qualified railroad assets to reduce the state of good repair backlog and improve intercity passenger rail performance.

Eligible applications may involve railroad infrastructure, equipment or facility assets such as track, ballast, switches and interlockings, bridges, communication and signal systems, power systems, highway-rail grade crossings, stations, passenger cars, locomotives, maintenance-of-way equipment and yards, terminal areas and maintenance shops.

The Partnership Program grants are intended to benefit publicly or Amtrak-owned or -controlled passenger rail infrastructure, equipment and facilities.

Grants will be awarded on a competitive basis. FRA will consider how the projects support key Departmental objectives, including enhancing economic vitality; leveraging Federal funding; using innovative approaches to improve safety and expedite project delivery; and holding grant recipients accountable for achieving specific, measurable outcomes. In addition, selection preference will be given to applications with a proposed non-Federal share that is comprised of more than one source of funding and applications that indicate strong project readiness. The Federal share of a project’s total cost must not exceed 80%.

The FY20 Partnership Program NOFO can be seen here, and applications for funding are due no later than 5 p.m. ET on July 27. Prior to the application deadline, FRA will offer a webinar to address applicants’ questions. For more details about the Partnership Program, click here.

“All eligible parties should take full advantage of this opportunity to leverage private, state and local investments that boost capital projects, including those that enhance safety in track and equipment and improve safety at highway-rail grade crossings or otherwise grade-separate rail intersections,” said FRA Administrator Ronald L. Batory.