Texas receives nearly $15 million for railroad safety projects

The Biden administration announced Monday $14.84 million in funding for Texas projects to improve rail safety and strengthen supply chains. The funding is part of a national investment of over $1.4 billion for rail projects.

Texas– Downtown Laredo Rail Corridor Safety Planning Project (Up to $4,000,000) City of Laredo, Texas

The proposed project involves project development activities for improvements to numerous grade crossings on the Laredo Rail Corridor. The project, which is being done in partnership
with Canadian Pacific Kansas City Railroad (CPKC), aligns with the selection criteria by enhancing safety as it will help advance efforts to close certain at-grade crossings, build grade separated structures, and install gate and safety improvements at certain at-grade crossings.
Also, this project, if built as part of a future phase, will improve safety on the Laredo Corridor, improve efficiency and mobility on a vital cross border trade route, and support expanded capacity on CPKC’s rail network. The project will improve supply chain efficiency on a critical cross-border trade corridor and supports the key administration goal of safety. CPKC will contribute a 20 percent non-Federal match.

Texas – Rio Valley Rail Capacity Improvement Project (Up to $3,500,000) Rio Valley Switching Company (RVSC)
The proposed project involves final design and construction activities to complete track-related improvements and upgrades to multiple bridges along an estimated 50-mile-long corridor on RVSC’s rail network. In sections where there is Excepted track standard, the improvements will be built to FRA Class 1 track safety standards; in other sections, the project will maintain current FRA Class 1 track standards. The project aligns with the selection criteria by improving system and service performance and safety as it will improve rail operations and safety to accommodate project growth in the Rio Valley region, as well as continue interchange services with Union Pacific. RVSC will provide a 30 percent non-Federal match.

Texas – The Sunray Agricultural Supply Chain Efficiency Project (Up to $7,342,032) Texas North Western Railway Company (TXNW)

The proposed project includes project development, final design, and construction activities for track-related improvements and replacement of certain bridges. The project aligns with the
selection criteria by enhancing safety as it will modernize the TXNW, resulting in reduced risk of derailment, accommodate the 286,000-pound unit grain trains, and reduce emissions by allowing for the utilization of larger, more modern locomotives – includes those of BNSF Railway – to access a grain elevator. Also, the project will help TXNW sustain interchange services with BNSF Railway. TNW Corporation, owner of TXNW, will provide a 30 percent non-Federal match. This project qualifies for the statutory set-aside for projects in Rural Areas.