Federal Rail Administration Announces $368 Million of Improvement Grants

What happened: Thirty-two states and the District of Columbia will receive Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) grants, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced June 2. The $368 million in funding will be used for both passenger and freight rail projects, including bridge replacements, enhanced grade crossings, and underpass reconstruction, which can help ease bottlenecks and improve goods movement.

Funding for this program was tripled in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). The CRISI will receive $1 billion annually for the next five years.

Why it matters: ARTBA led an April 26 letter signed by 59 groups to U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg that asked for freight programs and supply chain enhancements to be a focus of discretionary grant awards like CRISI.