WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) of the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) has announced that it has invested $12.8 million in Missouri from President Biden’s Infrastructure Law into two rail improvement projects. Nationally, President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law invested more than $1.4 billion into 70 rail improvement projects in 35 states and Washington, D.C. This is the largest amount ever awarded for rail safety and rail supply chain upgrades through the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) program.
As part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, federal investments are tackling long-standing rail needs by supporting communities nationwide to help get people and goods where they need to be safely, quickly, and conveniently. Projects selected through the CRISI program, which is four times larger since President Biden signed the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, support community safety through track improvements, bridge rehabilitations, fewer highway-rail grade crossings, upgrades on routes carrying hazardous materials, and more. Selected projects also improve connectivity, reduce shipping costs, increase resiliency to extreme weather, reduce emissions, and support workforce development.
“Under President Biden’s leadership, we are making historic investments in rail, which means fewer accidents and delays, faster travel times, and lower shipping costs for the American people,” said USDOT Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “These projects will make American rail safer, more reliable, and more resilient, delivering tangible benefits to dozens of communities where railroads are located, and strengthening supply chains for the entire country.”
“For years, the CRISI Program has helped to maintain and modernize America’s freight rail network, and it’s the only federal grant program prioritizing smaller, short line railroads vital to our nation’s economy and regional supply chains. With unprecedented levels of funding through President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, FRA is advancing even more projects and laying the groundwork for further transformation,” said FRA Administrator Amit Bose. “The selected projects will tackle issues facing communities and invest in a 21st century rail network yielding greater benefits – faster and more reliable deliveries of goods, safer communities, cleaner transportation, and more jobs and workforce development opportunities.”
In Missouri, selected projects include:
- Chapell Drive Overpass Project (Up to $4,987,399)
City of Monett, Missouri
The project involves final design, right-of-way acquisition, and construction activities for grade crossing improvements, including a new grade separated structure over BNSF Railway’s line on Chapell Drive that will eliminate the existing at-grade highway-rail crossing. These upgrades will help improve safety and traffic flows amongst freight rail, motorists, and pedestrians at a crossing where an average of 25 trains operate each day. By reducing the risk of collisions between trains and motorists and pedestrians, the project also improves safety of railroad operations and reduces wait times at crossings. A combination of funds from the City of Monett, the Missouri Department of Transportation, and BNSF Railway will provide a 36.4 percent non-Federal match. This project qualifies for the statutory set-aside for projects in Rural Areas.
- Eastern Missouri Freight Resiliency Project (Up to $7,817,461)
Jaguar Transport Holdings LLC
The project will rehabilitate approximately 52 miles of the Missouri Eastern Railroad (MER) by funding final design and construction and development activities for various track-related improvements. These upgrades will increase capacity and improve safety through enhancements that will help MER withstand flooding and better handle a high percentage of hazardous materials. In addition, increasing the status of the line from FRA Class 1 track standards to Class 2 standards will improve operations with changes. Jaguar Transport Holdings will provide a 25 percent non-Federal match. This project qualifies for the statutory set-aside for projects in Rural Areas.
While the majority of selected projects support freight rail safety and supply chains, CRISI investments are also helping to expand world-class passenger rail to more communities nationwide.
For the full list of Fiscal Year 2022 CRISI project selections, please click here. Further information about the many benefits of FRA’s CRISI Program is also available here.