GOLDEN AGE OF RAIL: Trump’s Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy Invests Over $1.24 Billion into Rail Safety Upgrades Across America, Including $120 Million for Texas

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy today announced the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) is investing $1.24 billion into rail safety infrastructure projects through 91 grants across 37 states via the FY 25-26 Railroad Crossing Elimination (RCE) Grant Program, including $120 million for Texas.

With funds from the RCE Program, Texas is receiving $120 million to upgrade rail infrastructure across the state, including:

• $47 Million for the County of Bexar to eliminate an at-grade crossing in San Antonio.
• $46 Million for the Texas Department of Transportation to construct a grade-separated overpass in Fort Worth.
• $15 Million for the City of Amarillo to eliminate a highway-rail grade crossing.
• $10.5 Million for the City of Houston to conduct project development and final design for a future grade separation project.
• $750,000 for the City of Schertz to support a corridor planning study to improve the safety and mobility at four existing at-grade highway-rail grade crossings and one future crossing.
• $600,000 for the County of Presidio to evaluate highway-rail grade crossings, rail corridor access conditions, emergency response impacts, community connectivity, and mobility challenges associated with existing and anticipated rail operations in the communities of Presidio and Marfa.
• $400,000 for the City of Manor to evaluate and plan for grade crossing solutions along an existing freight rail corridor and potential commuter rail corridor.

“Protecting the traveling public and enhancing the backbone of our nation’s transportation system – our rail network – is all part of the Trump Administration’s commitment to move people and products better than ever,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy. “This Department has invested nearly $10 billion in American rail this year alone, with more on the way. These latest investments will ensure the future of rail and the safety of passengers, rail workers, and the great Americans who share these transportation corridors continue to improve.” 

“The RCE grants announced today will provide communities nationwide with funding to make highway-rail grade crossings safer and reduce the occurrence of blocked crossings,” said FRA Administrator David Fink. “These strategic investments will save lives, prevent accidents and reduce delays, allowing our nation’s railroads to focus on keeping America moving.”

Eligible applications for the RCE Program were evaluated on the basis of merit including Project Readiness, Technical Merit, and Project Benefits. The full list of selected projects can be found HERE.

Additional Information:

Under Secretary Duffy, the Department has ushered in the Golden Age of Rail by making historic investments into America’s rail infrastructure.

Last April, Secretary Duffy announced a Notice of Funding Availability for the Railroad Crossing Elimination Program to fund highway-rail or pathway-rail grade crossing improvement projects, including but not limited to elimination projects, that improve safety and mobility of people and goods. Such projects will improve American rail infrastructure to enhance rail safety, improve the health and safety of communities, eliminate highway-rail and pathway-rail grade crossings that are frequently blocked by trains, or reduce the impacts that freight movement and railroad operations may have on underserved communities. More information on the RCE Program can be found here.

In August, Secretary Duffy announced a $5.3 billion investment into rail projects across the U.S. that will enhance safety, upgrade infrastructure, and purchase new trainsets for Amtrak. Roughly $2 billion of this grant package is funding Secretary Duffy saved the American people by canceling Gavin Newsom’s disastrous high-speed train to nowhere.

Earlier this month, Secretary Duffy announced a $2.3 billion investment into freight and passenger rail that will improve over 2,000 miles of track across America through funding from the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) Grant Program.