Following Fatal North Tonawanda Rail Accident, Kennedy Announces $1.1 Billion in Funding Available to Improve Railroad Crossing Safety
Railroad Crossing Elimination Program, Part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, Funds At-Grade Crossing Improvement Projects That Focus on Improving Safety and Mobility
Eligible Applicants Include States, Municipalities, Tribal Governments, and Metropolitan Planning Organizations
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Tim Kennedy (D-NY-26) released the following statement announcing that the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has released a notice of funding opportunity for the Railroad Crossing Elimination (RCE) Program, totaling $1.1 billion:
“We all saw the tragic consequences of at-grade crossing collisions, with four lives lost this year alone in North Tonawanda,” Congressman Kennedy said. “I urge eligible applicants to take advantage of this program before funding is exhausted. From the placement of tracks due to our region’s unique geography to aging infrastructure, railroad intersections can be dangerous. This is an important opportunity to secure significant funding to make historic safety improvements, protecting rail workers and communities alike.”
Background:
The RCE Program, created through President Biden’s Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, funds at-grade crossing improvement projects to strengthen safety and mobility. These include highway and pathway crossings. RCE Program grant funds may be used to cover up to 80 percent of project costs, requiring a non-federal match that can be provided through state, local, and private sector funding. Examples of eligible projects include:
- Grade separation.
- Track relocation.
- Improvement or installation of protective devices, signals, or signs that are related to a separation or relocation project.
- Other means of improving safety and mobility, including technological solutions.
- Any combination of the above means.
This latest round of funding comes on the heels of tragic collisions at at-grade railroad crossings. On Friday, May 17, three individuals, one of them a young child, died at the North Tonawanda Felton Street at-grade crossing. Responding to a letter sent by Congressman Kennedy, the FRA opened an investigation into the incident. While the investigation determined that the intersection was functioning properly, it stands to show that we must be even more dogged in our pursuit of at-grade crossing safety. There are eighteen at-grade crossings in the City of North Tonawanda, and multiple in the Cities of Buffalo and Niagara Falls and other parts of the congressional district.
Eligible applicants seeking funding under 49 U.S.C. 22909 include states, political subdivisions of states, federally recognized Indian Tribes, units of local government, public port authorities, and metropolitan planning organizations.
A total of $1.1 billion is available for awards. Eligible recipients in New York’s 26th District should closely examine this important funding opportunity to enhance public safety and mobility.
Application materials for these projects can be accessed through grants.gov at: https://www.grants.gov.
The full notice of funding opportunity can be found here.
