USA: Texas is getting more federal rail-safety money than any other state or local recipient in the country’s latest funding round — over $755 million to eliminate 12 dangerous grade crossings from El Paso to Houston.

TxDOT will use over $755 million in federal grants to eliminate 12 dangerous grade crossings across eight Texas counties, the largest single-state award nationwide.
Photo: www.txdot.gov

The award, announced Aug. 14, comes through the National Railroad Partnership Program and FRA’s Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail grant, part of the same $5.3 billion national round Railway Supply covered for its Amtrak and nationwide impact. Texas Rail Advocates reports the headline figure as $775 million, though the group’s own release text states “more than $755 million” for the 12 projects; the announcement does not clarify the discrepancy.

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Twelve projects, eight counties

The Texas Department of Transportation will use the money for grade-separation work in Bexar, Dallas, El Paso, Fort Bend, Guadalupe, Harris, Kaufman and Tarrant counties. The single largest identified slice — $189 million — eliminates nine at-grade crossings in Fort Worth, Dallas and Terrell. Hays County separately received $39 million for a grade-separated bridge, and the city of Kyle also secured funding for its own crossing project.

County Project Notes
Fort Bend Three UPRR crossings (US 90/90A corridor) Dairy Ashford Rd, Eldridge Rd, Gessner Rd
Bexar Three separate grade separations Rittiman Rd, Walzem Rd, FM 3009/Amtrak Sunset Limited
Dallas/Tarrant Westmoreland crossing; NE 23rd St/Decatur Ave Two of the nine Fort Worth–Dallas–Terrell crossings
Kaufman Las Lomas Parkway crossing East of FM 1392
El Paso Rick Francis St crossing North of SH 20
Guadalupe Cibolo Railroad crossing FM 78 and Country Lane
Harris Sunset Limited route safety project —

Data: Texas Rail Advocates, August 14, 2026

State money did the groundwork

Texas didn’t win this by federal application alone. The state leveraged $77.6 million from its own Off-System Rail Grade Separation Fund — created after the legislature passed Senate Bill 1555 — to help local governments meet the 20% federal matching requirement. “By leveraging state funding to secure significant federal funding for rail grade separation projects, we will be able to improve rail and road safety for all Texans,” Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said. TxDOT Executive Director Marc Williams put the combined local-state-federal investment across the 12 projects at more than $953 million.

The announcement does not specify a construction start date for any of the 12 projects, or when the affected crossings will close to at-grade traffic.

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