FRA offers $272M in SOGR capex funds
Written by William C. Vantuono, Editor-in-Chief
FRA Administrator Ron Batory
The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has issued a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the Federal-State Partnership for State of Good Repair Program, which makes more than $272 million in capital grant funding available.
The available $272.25 million “will assist in funding capital projects to repair, replace or rehabilitate publicly owned railroad assets, and to improve intercity passenger rail performance,” FRA said. “Eligible projects include those that replace existing assets in-kind; replace existing assets with those that increase capacity or provide a higher level of service; and those that ensure existing assets maintain service while being brought into a state of good repair.”
Federal funds awarded under this NOFO must not exceed 80% of total project cost. The 20% non-federal share may be composed of public sector or private sector funding, or both. “In addition,” FRA noted, “selection preference will be given to projects where Amtrak is not the sole applicant; where multiple applicants submit applications jointly; where the proposed federal share of total project costs does not exceed 50%; where non-federal shares consist of funding from multiple sources, including private sources; and where applications indicate strong project readiness.”
FRA “will also consider how well the project aligns with key [USDOT] priorities, including supporting economic vitality, leveraging federal funding, using innovative approaches to improve safety and expedite project delivery, and holding grant recipients accountable for achieving specific and measurable outcomes.”
Applications must be submitted via www.Grants.gov and are due no later than 5:00 p.m. EST on Monday, March 18, 2019. Prior to the application deadline, FRA plans to provide Web-based training and technical assistance to answer questions from applicants.
“It is important for rail infrastructure owners and operators to plan for the maintenance and replacement of their assets,” said FRA Administrator Ronald L. Batory. “The Department particularly recognizes the opportunity to reduce risk and enhance safety through this grant program.”
For more information, see the NOFO in the Federal Register.
