Biden-Harris Administration, USDOT Make Available One of the Largest Investments in 50 Years to Expand Intercity Passenger Rail Across America

The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) today issued a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) announcing the availability of almost $2.3 billion in funding to expand and modernize intercity passenger rail nationwide through the Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail Grant Program (Partnership Program). Thanks to President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, this announcement marks the strongest commitment to date for the expansion of the national network of intercity passenger and high-speed rail projects. Selected projects will improve existing rail corridors and create new ones, broadening access to intercity passenger rail services for communities across the country.

Administered by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), the Partnership Program has long funded  the revitalization of rail assets, such as fixing track, structures, and grade crossings. Previous grants have funded rehabilitation type projects such as the Kalamazoo to Dearborn rail corridor in Michigan and the Piedmont Corridor in North Carolina. These routes and others are used by tens of millions of Americans each year, and new investments will increase the reliability and frequency of service and reduce delays.

President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law greatly expands the scope, funding, and vision of the Partnership Program. Beginning with the FY 2022 NOFO being announced today, eligible entities can apply to expand and establish new intercity passenger and high-speed rail services. In addition, projects that improve the safety, reliability, and performance of intercity passenger rail services and project planning elements, such as environmental review and final design, are also now eligible for funding under the Partnership Program.

Today’s funding announcement comes after USDOT and FRA made available over $1.4 billion in Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvement funds in September for projects that improve America’s freight and passenger rail network and strengthen supply chains. Additional Partnership Program funds for projects located on the Northeast Corridor will be made available later this year. In total, FRA has announced more than $607 million for 85 projects in 37 states and the District of Columbia this year, and made available more than $4.2 billion in funding, jumpstarting the
implementation of $66 billion in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law investments.

-Press Release

This article was posted on: December 7, 2022