The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) announced more than $272 million in grant funding to 10 rail projects in 10 states. Funding is provided through FRA’s Federal-State Partnership for State of Good Repair Program (SOGR Program) and will help to repair and rehabilitate railroad infrastructure around the country.
The SOGR Program provides funding to repair, replace, or rehabilitate publicly- or Amtrak-owned or controlled railroad equipment, infrastructure, and facilities. The SOGR Program is intended to improve intercity passenger rail performance. Eligible projects include upgrading infrastructure such as track, switches, bridges, and highway-rail grade crossings; stations; and equipment, including passenger cars.
Ad Loading...
In the Fiscal Years 2017 and 2018 SOGR Program Notice of Funding Opportunity, FRA mandated a minimum 20% non-Federal match requirement. The selected projects went above and beyond this requirement. The U.S. DOT and FRA consistently work to balance investments and encourage collaborative partnerships between Federal and non-Federal entities to fund rail projects and maximize the returns to benefit local communities. FRA and the grant recipients are leveraging more than $190 million in non-Federal funds with these selections.
The Fiscal Years 2017 and 2018 SOGR Program award winners include:
Illinois – A-32 Bridge Replacement Project: Up to $17,840,000 to the Commuter Rail Division of the Regional Transportation Authority (Metra).
Louisiana – New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal Platform and Plant Improvement Projects: Up to $3,700,854 to the City of New Orleans.
Massachusetts – South Station Expansion Tower 1 Early Action Project: Up to $41,183,845 to the Massachusetts Department of Transportation.
Michigan – Kalamazoo-Dearborn State of Good Repair Projects: Up to $23,335,165 to the Michigan Department of Transportation.
North Carolina – Piedmont Intercity Fleet and Infrastructure Investments Project: Up to $76,888,000 to the North Carolina Department of Transportation.
New Jersey – Newark Penn Station Platform D Improvements: Up to $18,445,000 to the New Jersey Transit Corporation.
Pennsylvania – Keystone Corridor Zoo Interlocking State of Good Repair Improvements Project: Up to $15,140,236 to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.
Rhode Island – Providence Station State of Good Repair and Capacity Project: Up to $12,500,000 to the Rhode Island Department of Transportation.
Washington – Washington State Passenger Rail Car Replacement Project: Up to $37,500,000 to the Washington State Department of Transportation.
Wisconsin – Next Generation Single-Level Coach and Cab-Coach Equipment Acquisition Project: Up to $25,716,900 to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation.
Amtrak will open grant applications March 23 for community projects near the Frederick Douglass Tunnel alignment in Baltimore as part of a $50 million investment tied to the B&P Tunnel Replacement Program.
The Denmark Station $2.3 million construction investment project includes a new 280-foot concrete boarding platform, built eight inches above the top of rail, for improved accessibility for passengers with disabilities and families with small children and much more.
Caltrain and its partners have implemented safety improvements at specific locations in response to known risk conditions, operational needs, and available funding since the agency’s founding.
On a recent episode of METROspectives, METRO Magazine’s Executive Editor Alex Roman sat down with Ana-Maria Tomlinson, Director of Strategic & Cross-Sector Programs at the CSA Group, to explore a bold initiative aimed at addressing those challenges: the development of a National Code for Transit and Passenger Rail Systems in Canada.
Competitive FTA grants will support accessibility upgrades, family-friendly improvements, and cost-efficient capital projects at some of the nation’s oldest and busiest transit hubs.
The 3.92-mile addition will soon take riders west beyond its current Wilshire and Western station in Koreatown, continuing under Wilshire Boulevard through neighborhoods and communities including Hancock Park, Windsor Square, the Fairfax District, and Carthay Circle into Beverly Hills.
Under the plan, all long-distance routes will transition to a universal single-level fleet, replacing today’s mix of bi-level and single-level equipment.
