The Texas rail grade separation grants awarded on Feb. 26 total $160.4 million for five projects in the Amarillo, Houston, Laredo and San Antonio areas, according to Progressive Railroading.

Texas rail grade separation grants: $160.4M approved
Photo: Shutterstock

Texas rail grade separation grants and the new state rail fund

The Texas Transportation Commission awarded $160.4 million in grants for five grade separation projects. Also, the work is tied to a new $250 million state rail fund that, according to a Texas Rail Advocates (TRA) newsletter, was created to provide relief from blocked rail crossings to motorists and to support safer highways.

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In addition, the TRA newsletter said the funding program was established to address grade crossings that are not part of the Texas Department of Transportation’s highway grid, but are heavily congested or have been the scene of accidents in the past. TxDOT outlines the program structure on its Off-System Rail Grade Separation State Fund Program page.

TxDOT Rail Division briefing and project locations

TxDOT Rail Division Director Don Franks recently presented the projects to the commission in Austin. Meanwhile, TRA officials said the balance of funds from the new $250 million state grant program is being held in reserve to be announced for future projects, as noted by Texas Rail Advocates.

Separately, the current round of grade crossing separation projects includes separations of grade crossings along BNSF Railway, CPKC and Union Pacific Railroad lines in the Amarillo, Houston, Laredo and San Antonio areas.

Grade separation projects and grant amounts by railroad

The largest award, $58 million, will go toward a CPKC grade separation and safety enhancement project at Santa Maria Boulevard in Laredo.

Other Texas Transportation Commission rail grants include:

• $40 million for the Griggs-Long-Mykawa project in Harris County, which is associated with TxDOT’s larger State Highway 35 improvement project

• $36.7 million for the BNSF Railway crossing at South Georgia Street south of West Sundown Lane in Randall County

• $20.3 million for the BNSF Railway crossing at northeast 24th Avenue in Potter County

• $5 million for a San Antonio Union Pacific Railroad crossing at Zarzamora Street and Frio City Road in Bexar County

Still, the Texas Transportation Commission is a five-member board that governs TxDOT.

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