The US Department of Transportation says the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) will invest $2.3 billion in freight and passenger rail projects in 45 states and the District of Columbia through the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) program, funding improvements to more than 2,000 miles of railroad track nationwide.

Source: Railway Track and Structures reporting USDOT/FRA announcement

In total, $2,336,496,202 was awarded to 105 projects selected from 368 applications, RT&S reported. The grants will be matched by more than $1.9 billion in non-federal funding from state, local and private partners, taking the combined project value to about $4.2 billion.

$2.3 billionFRA CRISI federal investment — yaani about $230 crore
105projects selected
368applications received
45 + DCstates and district covered
2,000+ milestrack to be improved

What the money builds

Among the 105 projects, 87 are small-business short-line freight railroad projects totalling $1.885 billion, RT&S reported. Of those, 72 will upgrade rail lines to modern standards or build new track, 23 will rehabilitate or replace more than 50 rail bridges, and 36 aim to improve grade-crossing safety. Projects qualifying for the rural set-aside received $1,777,378,893.

On Oct. 22, EIN Presswire reported that five railroad projects assisted by Mullins Law Group received more than $102 million of the CRISI funding for rebuilding aging bridges, replacing worn track, upgrading safety equipment and expanding rail facilities across six states — a concrete example of how the national package reaches smaller railroads.

Source: EIN Presswire

In Ohio alone, more than $80 million is headed to rail projects, including a $5.6 million rehabilitation of about nine miles of the Indiana Northeastern Railroad line in Williams County that will restore track, extend sidings and reduce derailment risk while enabling 286,000-pound railcars, WBNOW reported, citing the Department of Transportation.

Source: WBNOWQCT

For freight, the program is aimed at safety and reliability at passenger and freight chokepoints — stronger track and bridges mean heavier cars can run with lower derailment risk, a shift that matters to shippers deciding between rail and long-haul trucking.