ENR finds 46.7% of funding goes to fixed-infrastructure projects reaching construction; $2.24 billion is principally for trainsets and other equipment
The Federal Railroad Administration selected 41 rail projects for nearly $5.32 billion in federal funding Aug. 14, but an ENR analysis of the awards finds about $3.08 billion is tied to fixed infrastructure and $2.49 billion of that went to projects whose federally funded scopes reach construction.
Those 27 construction-stage projects account for 46.7% of the award total and involve bridges, track, stations, grade separations, crossings and other fixed infrastructure. Another $597.6 million went to 11 infrastructure projects that remain in planning, project development, final design or right-of-way acquisition. Three rolling stock and onboard-equipment awards account for the remaining $2.24 billion.
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Federal Railroad Administration — FY 2024-2026
Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail Program (Excludes Northeast Corridor)
ENR classified each selection according to its FRA-designated lifecycle stage and the work described in the agency’s project summaries. FRA defines project development as design, environmental and other work preparing a project for implementation, while final design produces the engineering plans and specifications needed for construction. Construction follows final design and covers physical construction and installation through placement into use.
Because some of the 27 construction-stage awards also fund development, design or right-of-way acquisition, the $2.49 billion represents federal awards to fixed-infrastructure projects reaching construction, not the amount that will necessarily be spent directly on construction labor and materials.
Grade Separations Lead the Work
Texas accounts for the largest concentration of construction-stage work. TxDOT received more than $755 million across 12 grade-separation projects, part of more than $953 million in combined local, state and federal investment. The department used $77.6 million from its Off-System Rail Grade Separation State Fund Program to help local governments meet federal matching requirements.
FRA Rail Awards | Construction
See the 27 fixed-infrastructure awards totaling nearly $2.49 billion whose federally funded scopes reach construction.
Photo courtesy TxDOT
“By eliminating at-grade rail crossings, we can improve safety, reduce congestion and keep people and goods moving more efficiently,” TxDOT Executive Director Marc Williams said. The largest Texas selection provides up to $385 million for seven Sunset Limited grade separations in Cibolo, El Paso, Missouri City, San Antonio and Sugar Land. FRA selected the projects for development, final design, right-of-way acquisition and construction.
North Carolina received $299.7 million for its Piedmont Corridor Safety Program, which will close nine at-grade crossings, construct four grade separations and add double-track segments and other improvements in Guilford, Durham and Wake counties. FRA selected the program through construction, although NCDOT says it will announce schedules for individual improvements as planning and design progress.
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Florida’s $356.1-million statewide program to make safety and state-of-good-repair improvements at as many as 910 highway-rail crossings also reaches construction. FRA selected the program for project development, final design and construction.
Chicago Blurs the Lifecycle Lines
Another $597.6 million is associated with physical infrastructure that has not reached construction under the lifecycle stages FRA selected for the current awards, and nearly all of it is concentrated in one Chicago project.
FRA Rail Awards | Project Pipeline
See the 11 infrastructure awards totaling $597.6 million that remain in planning, development, design or right-of-way acquisition under the current selections.
Photo courtesy Amtrak
FRA awarded Amtrak up to $572 million for its Midwest Maintenance Facilities Modernization public-private partnership, but the selection funds right-of-way acquisition at the Canal Street Yard rather than construction. FRA separately awarded Amtrak $87 million for development, final design and construction to rehabilitate or replace about 17 bridges, viaducts and ancillary structures there.
Amtrak says Canal Edge LLC is responsible for financing and delivering the approximately $900-million maintenance-facility project, with federal funding complemented by private capital. Construction of the maintenance facility and the bridge and viaduct work is expected to begin this fall.
The other 10 preconstruction selections total about $25.6 million and fund planning, development or design for future grade separations, stations, bridges and crossing improvements.
FRA Rail Awards | Equipment
See the three rolling-stock and onboard-equipment awards totaling about $2.24 billion, led by Amtrak’s $2.05-billion trainset selection.
Photo by SounderBruce/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Nearly all of the $2.24 billion in equipment funding comes from Amtrak’s $2.05 billion award to acquire up to 43 trainsets and associated improvements for state-supported routes. Another $140.7 million will be used to overhaul as many as 41 Charger locomotives used on Midwest and Pacific Northwest routes, while $45.1 million will procure and install onboard shunt-enhancing safety devices on Amtrak equipment. Together, the three selections account for about 42% of FRA’s entire award round.
FRA’s definition of a capital project encompasses the acquisition and overhaul of rolling stock. ENR excluded the three equipment selections from its fixed-infrastructure construction total because their principal scopes involve equipment rather than bridges, track, stations, crossings or other fixed assets.
