Association of American Railroads CEO Ian Jefferies urges Congress to sustain the Railroad Crossing Elimination grant program, saying closures, separations and upgrades can improve safety. Its first round awarded over $570 million for 63 projects involving over 400 crossings.
Earlier this year, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced a $1.1 billion second funding round, but the Transportation Department has not announced its awards. Jefferies says the program faces an uncertain future as congressional appropriations and surface-transportation reauthorization are on hold until after the election, despite bipartisan support.
An RCE-funded project under Chicago's public-private CREATE program is underway on the city's west side to improve crossing safety and reduce waiting times.
