U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine L. Chao announced an investment of more than $291 million in grants for 11 intercity passenger rail projects in nine states through the Federal-State Partnership for State of Good Repair Program (Partnership Program). “This $291 million in federal grants will upgrade rail infrastructure and enhance railroad safety and reliability in communities across America,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao.
 
The Partnership Program is intended to improve intercity passenger rail performance by funding capital projects to repair, replace or rehabilitate publicly owned or controlled railroad assets, thereby bringing them into a state of good repair. Funding for these awards totals $291,422,706, with $198 million made available from the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2020 and $93,422,706 in remaining funds made available through the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2019. 

FRA published a Notice of Funding Opportunity for this award cycle on June 10, 2020. The evaluation and selection process considered several factors in choosing projects, including the project’s abilities to improve service and safety and to meet existing or anticipated demand.

 “This Administration has invested billions in railroad infrastructure to ensure the safe movement of passengers and goods throughout our nation,” FRA Administrator Ronald L. Batory said. “These investments have proven vital during this challenging year and kept essential supplies moving throughout our nation, and these State of Good Repair grants will continue those improvements and enhance passenger rail service to ready the nation for the forthcoming recovery,” Batory added.  

The following 11 projects were selected. Project descriptions are available on FRA’s website.

California — San Diego Next Generation Signaling and Grade Crossing Modernization
Up to $9,836,917
North County Transit District

California — Pacific Surfliner Corridor Rehabilitation and Service Reliability
Up to $31,800,000
Southern California Regional Rail Authority

Connecticut — Walk Bridge Replacement
Up to $79,700,000
Connecticut Department of Transportation

Connecticut — Connecticut River Bridge Replacement
Up to $65,200,799
Amtrak 

Massachusetts —  Worcester Union Station Accessibility and Infrastructure Improvements 
Up to $29,303,350
Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority

Maryland — MARC Northeast Corridor Train Storage Preservation Project
Up to $9,400,000
Maryland Transit Administration

Michigan — Ypsilanti to Jackson Curve Modifications
Up to $15,570,327
Michigan Department of Transportation

New Jersey — Trenton Transit Center Station Improvements
Up to $18,281,313
New Jersey Transit Corporation 

New York — Hudson Avenue Grade Crossing Rehabilitation and Safety Improvements
Up to $2,000,000
New York State Department of Transportation

Pennsylvania —  Harrisburg Line Signal System Renewal: Paoli to Overbrook
Up to $15,910,000
Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority

Virginia — Newington Road Bridge Replacement
Up to $14,420,000
Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation

 

California — San Diego Next Generation Signaling and Grade Crossing Modernization
Up to $9,836,917
North County Transit District

Replaces and upgrades obsolete signal, train control, and crossing equipment on a 60-mile section of North County Transit District right-of-way the carrier shares with Amtrak intercity service and freight rail. Brings signal and train control components into a state of good repair, including installing new signal houses, signals and cabling. Replaces components at more than 15 grade crossings along the corridor.

California — Pacific Surfliner Corridor Rehabilitation and Service Reliability
Up to $31,800,000
Southern California Regional Rail Authority

Rehabilitates track, structures, and grade crossings in Ventura County and northern Los Angeles County on infrastructure used by Amtrak intercity service, Metrolink commuter service, and BNSF freight service. Work for member agency Ventura County Transportation Commission includes track, tie, ballast, and culvert replacements, grade crossing rehabilitation, and tunnel track and structure replacements. 

Connecticut — Walk Bridge Replacement
Up to $79,700,000
Connecticut Department of Transportation & Amtrak

Replaces the Connecticut-owned movable Norwalk River Bridge, built in 1896, with two, independent, two-track, vertical lift rail bridges in Norwalk, Connecticut. Includes associated embankment and retaining wall improvements on the bridge approaches, new catenary structures, and signal system upgrades. 

Connecticut — Connecticut River Bridge Replacement
Up to $65,200,799
Amtrak & Connecticut Department of Transportation

Replaces the Connecticut River Bridge with a modern, resilient, moveable bridge immediately south of the existing structure. The existing Amtrak-owned, 113-year-old bridge poses a risk of long-term major disruption on the Northeast Corridor due to its age and condition. 

Massachusetts — Worcester Union Station Accessibility and Infrastructure Improvements 
Up to $29,303,350
Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority
 
Rehabilitates and upgrades the platform and track area of Worcester Union Station, constructing a new island platform with grade-separated pedestrian access to replace a single side platform, plus associated rehabilitation of two station tracks and signals.

Maryland — MARC Northeast Corridor Train Storage Preservation Project
Up to $9,400,000
Maryland Transit Administration

Constructs two storage tracks with catenary and ground power access at Martin's Yard. The expanded yard will store MARC Penn Line trainsets now stored on platform tracks at Baltimore Penn Station. 

Michigan — Ypsilanti to Jackson Curve Modifications
Up to $15,570,327
Michigan Department of Transportation

Rehabilitates and improves geometry for 42 horizontal curves, installing approximately 80,000 feet of rail and related safety enhancements at 16 public and 8 private at-grade crossings, including roadway vertical profile changes and active warning device installation on the state-owned rail corridor between Ypsilanti and Jackson, Michigan. 

New Jersey — Trenton Transit Center Station Improvements
Up to $18,281,313
New Jersey Transit Corporation 

Rehabilitates two island platforms and upgrades a side platform to high-level boarding, remediating existing platforms’ deteriorated conditions and expanding station capacity at the Trenton Transit Center. 

New York — Hudson Avenue Grade Crossing Rehabilitation and Safety Improvements
Up to $2,000,000
New York State Department of Transportation

Replaces and upgrades crossing warning devices and adds accessible pedestrian walkways and gates at the Hudson Avenue grade crossing in Peekskill, New York, on Metro-North's Hudson Line, which serves Amtrak intercity service, Metro-North commuter service, and freight rail. 

Pennsylvania —  Harrisburg Line Signal System Renewal: Paoli to Overbrook
Up to $15,910,000
Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA), Amtrak and Pennsylvania Department of Transportation

Replaces and upgrades train control signal systems to a state of good repair between Paoli and Overbook on the Amtrak-owned Harrisburg Line in Pennsylvania.

Virginia — Newington Road Bridge Replacement
Up to $14,420,000
Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation

Replaces an existing double-track rail bridge owned by CSX with two new double-track rail bridges to be owned separately by CSX and the Commonwealth of Virginia, expanding passenger rail capacity in the Washington, D.C., to Richmond, Virginia, corridor.