Federal Highway Administration Commuter Authority Rail Safety Improvement (CARSI) Grants

Funding Opportunity Informational Webinar – September 10, 2020 from 2:00-3:30 pm Eastern: The FHWA will host an Informational Webinar regarding this funding opportunity, to help potential applicants understand the opportunity requirements and answer applicant questions. Participation in this session is not mandatory in order to submit an application under this solicitation. However, we encourage potential applicants to take advantage of this opportunity to gather information regarding this funding opportunity.

Webinar Date: September 10, 2020 from 2:00 – 3:30 pm Eastern

To Register: To participate in the webinar, you must register in advance by sending an email to Sarah.Tarpgaard@DOT.gov, to provide your name, title, organization name, and email. Please register by September 9, 2020. FHWA will provide the webinar link to registered participants by email prior to the webinar.

PLEASE: download the full announcement of NOFO 693JJ320NF00005 under the Related Documents tab for full details and application instructions.

Description of Funding Opportunity: This notice announces the availability of up to $50,000,000 in Federal funding for eligible projects, available to eligible entities. The purpose of this grant program is to improve safety at public railway-highway crossings. The program provides one-time funding to eligible entities for the construction of projects for the elimination of hazards at railway-highway crossings. Specific program goals include:

1. Improve safety at railway-highway crossings through the elimination of hazards at public railway-highway crossings;
2. Reduce fatalities, serious injuries, and crashes at public railway-highway crossings;
3. Reduce the number of existing public at-grade crossings by closure or grade separation; and
4. Reduce delays or improve system performance by eliminating hazards posed by blocked grade crossings due to idling trains.

Eligible Projects: The funds must support the construction of projects for the elimination of hazards at railway-highway crossings. Eligible projects under this grant program are limited to the following:

• the separation or protection of grades at crossings;
• the reconstruction of existing railroad grade crossing structures;
• the relocation of highways to eliminate grade crossings; or
• projects at grade crossings to eliminate hazards posed by blocked grade crossings due to idling trains.

NOTE: The proposed location of the project is not required to be the location of the accident previously investigated by the NTSB. The proposed location of the project is up to the discretion of the applicant.

NOTE: A COST SHARE of 10 percent of the project cost is required.