Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (20.325)
Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (Assistance Listing 20.325) is run by the Federal Railroad Administration, part of the Department of Transportation. It awarded $2.2 billion in 230 grants from fiscal 2021 to 2025, about $9.4 million per award on average. No funding opportunity is open on Grants.gov right now.
The typical award was $3.5 million. Half of the 230 awards fell between $1.3 million and $8.3 million, and they ranged from $24,077 to $202 million.
- Awarded, FY 2021 to 2025$2.2 billion
- Grant awards230
- Typical award$3.5 million
- Awarded in FY 2025$938 million
- Size rank153 of 1824
- Type of assistanceProject grants
Key findings
- Annual funding rose from $199 million in fiscal 2021 to $938 million in fiscal 2025.
- It is the 153rd largest of 1,824 federal grant programs by five-year awards.
- The 20 largest recipients received 66% of the money.
- Awards went to recipients in 47 states and territories.
What the program funds
To fund projects that improve the safety, efficiency, and/or reliability of intercity passenger and freight rail systems.
Open opportunities
No opportunity under this program is open or forecast on Grants.gov right now. Programs often post once a year, so the funding history below shows what to expect.
Rules from the program listing
Who can apply
Interstate, Public nonprofit institution/organization (includes institutions of higher education), Other public institution/organization, Profit organization, State (1) A State. (2) A group of States. (3) An Interstate Compact. (4) A public agency or publicly chartered authority established by 1 or more States. (5) A political subdivision of a State. (6) Amtrak or another rail carrier that provides intercity rail passenger transportation (7) A Class II railroad or Class III railroad (8) Any rail carrier or rail equipment manufacturer in partnership with at least 1 of the entities in (1) through (5). (9) The Transportation Research Board and any entity with which it contracts in the development of rail-related research, including cooperative research programs. (10) A University transportation center engaged in rail-related research. (11) A non-profit labor organization representing a class or craft of employees of rail carriers or rail carrier contractors.
What the money can and cannot pay for
(1) Deployment of railroad safety technology, including positive train control and rail integrity inspection systems. (2) A capital project as defined in section 24401(2), except that a project shall not be required to be in a State rail plan developed under chapter 227. (3) A capital project identified by the Secretary as being necessary to address congestion challenges affecting rail service. (4) A capital project identified by the Secretary as being necessary to reduce congestion and facilitate ridership growth in intercity passenger rail transportation along heavily traveled rail corridors. (5) A highway-rail grade crossing improvement project, including installation, repair, or improvement of grade separations, railroad crossing signals, gates, and related technologies, highway traffic signalization, highway lighting and crossing approach signage, roadway improvements such as medians or other barriers, railroad crossing panels and surfaces, and safety engineering improvements to reduce risk in quiet zones or potential quiet zones. (6) A rail line relocation and improvement project. (7) A capital project to improve short-line or regional railroad infrastructure. (8) The preparation of regional rail and corridor service development plans and corresponding environmental analyses.
Matching requirements
Statutory Formula: Title NA, Part NA, Subpart NA,Public Law 114-94.(Portion of CRISI funding for Special Transportation Circumstances Grants.)The Federal share of total project costs under this section shall not exceed 80 percent.MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.
Award range and average, in the agency's words
Grants within these programs ranged from $15,000 to $201,946,942 with an average of $7,190,859.
Examples of funded projects
Fiscal Year2025: Examples of projects fund in FY 2025 include Capital projects that address congestion challenges affecting rail service, reduce congestion and facilitate ridership growth along heavily traveled rail corridors, and/or improve short-line or regional railroad infrastructure; Highway-rail grade crossing improvement projects; Rail line relocation and improvement projects; Regional rail and corridor service development plans and environmental analyses; Rehabilitating, remanufacturing, procuring or overhauling locomotives for emissions reduction; and projects necessary to enhance multimodal connections or facilitate service integration between rail service and other modes.
Funding history and past recipients
From fiscal 2021 to 2025, Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (20.325) awarded$2.2 billion across 230 grant awards, an average of $9.4 million per award.
Who usually wins
State and local governments received 63% of the money, businesses 31% and small businesses 2.0%.
| Recipient type | Awards | Amount | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| State and local governments | 145 | $1.4 billion | 63% |
| Businesses | 63 | $676 million | 31% |
| Small businesses | 4 | $43.7 million | 2.0% |
| Nonprofits | 7 | $35.4 million | 1.6% |
| Colleges and universities | 5 | $28.9 million | 1.3% |
| Other | 6 | $20.7 million | 0.9% |
By state
Each state below has its own page for this program, with its recipients and yearly totals.
| State | Awards | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| California | 9 | $227 million |
| District of Columbia | 7 | $209 million |
| Illinois | 6 | $203 million |
| Florida | 21 | $120 million |
| Massachusetts | 8 | $113 million |
| Washington | 9 | $98.5 million |
| North Carolina | 5 | $95.2 million |
| Pennsylvania | 5 | $88.3 million |
| Alabama | 4 | $83.7 million |
| Missouri | 5 | $75.1 million |
| Michigan | 6 | $73.2 million |
| Maine | 5 | $72.4 million |
| Colorado | 9 | $62.1 million |
| Kansas | 5 | $57.3 million |
| South Dakota | 10 | $49.1 million |
| Iowa | 8 | $47.1 million |
| Kentucky | 3 | $39.2 million |
| Wisconsin | 3 | $37.0 million |
| Texas | 11 | $36.3 million |
| Oregon | 3 | $35.7 million |
| Ohio | 11 | $33.2 million |
| Virginia | 5 | $32.9 million |
| New York | 10 | $32.6 million |
| Georgia | 9 | $31.2 million |
| Louisiana | 4 | $22.9 million |
| Connecticut | 2 | $22.9 million |
| Mississippi | 4 | $19.7 million |
| North Dakota | 2 | $18.5 million |
| Indiana | 4 | $16.4 million |
| Maryland | 3 | $13.2 million |
| Nebraska | 2 | $11.8 million |
| Alaska | 5 | $11.1 million |
| Oklahoma | 2 | $10.1 million |
| Arkansas | 3 | $8.1 million |
| New Jersey | 2 | $7.8 million |
| Arizona | 1 | $7.1 million |
| Montana | 2 | $6.5 million |
| New Mexico | 3 | $5.9 million |
| Idaho | 1 | $5.8 million |
| Rhode Island | 2 | $5.3 million |
| New Hampshire | 2 | $4.9 million |
| Delaware | 1 | $4.6 million |
| Minnesota | 3 | $3.9 million |
| Vermont | 2 | $2.9 million |
| Wyoming | 1 | $2.4 million |
| Utah | 1 | $1.8 million |
| West Virginia | 1 | $1.6 million |