Combined Railroad Crossing Elimination (RCE) and Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI)

These programs focus on highway-rail or pathway-rail grade crossing improvement projects, promoting safety and mobility for people and goods. Communities can use grant funding for track relocation; improve or install protective devices, signals, or signs; improve safety; and conduct environmental audits of eligible projects.

Grant Summary

Agency

U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Railroad Administration (FRA)

Category

Passenger Safety, Improved Freight Transportation

Eligible Applicants

Local governments, or a group of local governments, states, a group of states, and federally recognized Indian Tribes are eligible for both programs. Additional eligibility varies by the grant program.

Total IIJA Funding

$5 billion available for fiscal years (FY) 2022-2026.

FY25 Grant Funding

$3 billion (RCE) and $5 billion (CRISI)

Overview

The RCE/CRISI programs fund improvements to rail infrastructure. Both programs support highway-rail or pathway-rail grade crossing improvement projects, promoting safety and mobility for people and goods. Communities can use grant funding for track relocation, improving or installing protective devices, signals, or signs, improving safety, and conducting environmental audits of eligible projects. Specific activities vary by grant program.

FY2025 Grant Funding

TBD. For reference, $1.148M in RCE funding was available for FY24 and $2.478M in CRISI funding was available in FYs23-24.

Match Requirements

Based on the FYs23-24 NOFOs the expected match requirement for each program will likely be 20%

Key Dates

The FY25 NOFOs have yet to be released. For reference, the FYs23-24 RCE NOFO opened on July 10, 2024, and closed on September 23, 2024. The FYs23-24 CRISI NOFO opened on March 29, 2024, and closed on May 28, 2024.

Key Funding Criteria

Based on the FYs23-24 NOFOs (RCE; CRISI), applicants will be evaluated based on the project’s impact on safety, equity, and sustainability. Additional information will be released in the FY25 NOFOs.

Opportunities for Climate and Racial Wealth Equity

Based on the FYs23-24 NOFOs (RCE; CRISI), the Federal Rail Administration (FRA) seeks to fund projects that address environmental justice, particularly for communities that disproportionately experience climate change-related consequences. In addition, the FRA aims to proactively address racial equity and barriers to opportunity, including automobile dependence.

Eligible Activities

Based on the FYs23-24 NOFO, eligible activities under the RCE program include grade separation, track relocation, the improvement or installation  of  protective  devices,  additional safety enhancements, and planning, environmental review, and design activities.

Based on the FYs23-24 NOFO, The CRISI program includes five program tracks, each with different eligible activities:

1. Systems Planning and Project Planning;
2. Project Development;
3. FD/Construction;
4. Research, Workforce Development, Safety Programs and Institutes (Non-Railroad Infrastructure); or
5. Deployment of Magnetic Levitation Transportation Projects

Please refer to the CRISI FYs23-24 NOFO for more details on eligible activities.

Additional Information

Program information is available on the RCE and CRISI webpages.