WASHINGTON — Two more awards have been announced under the Federal Railroad Administration’s Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements, or CRISI, grant program.
The first of what Washington state’s two senators said will be 122 grants totaling $2.477 billion were announced late last week [see “Announcements of 2024 CRISI grants begin,” Trains News Wire, Friday, Oct. 25]. Members of Congress or other local elected officials generally have the opportunity to announce the awards for their area before Federal Railroad Administration releases the full list of grants.
Add to the list of previously reported awards:
— $157.1 million for the final segment of the Springfield Rail Improvement Project in Springfield, Ill., which consolidates rail lines from Third Street to 10th Street and includes several grade-crossing separation overpasses and underpasses. The project also includes other track improvement and realignment, and construction of a new Amtrak station. (Note: The press release from U.S. Sens. Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth, and U.S. Rep. Nikki Budzinski does not mention the CRISI program, but the timing presumably indicates this is a CRISI grant.)
— $1.48 million to Bedford, Va., for environmental studies and preliminary engineering for an Amtrak station, announced by U.S. Rep. Morgan Griffin. Bedford is roughly midway between Roanoke and Lynchburg, Va., served by four Northeast Regional round trips daily. WSET-TV reports that an earlier study has identified 11 possible sites for the station, which could cost $21.4 million to $23.2 million, not including land acquisition.
A calendar on the FRA website indicates CRISI announcements are due in October, so the full list of announcements should come in the next four days.
