WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) of the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) announced today that it has invested more than $27.4 million in new rail grant funding in South Carolina. Nationally, more than $2.4 billion in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding is being invested in 122 rail improvement projects in 41 states and Washington, D.C. These projects will make rail safer, more reliable, and more resilient, getting goods and people where they need to be quickly with fewer disruptions, lower shipping costs and less pollution.  

Administered through Federal Railroad Administration Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) Program, grants being announced will benefit every region of the country, especially rural communities. Projects in this round of selections reflect the broad array of rail safety and service improvements eligible under this program, such as upgrading track, replacing or rehabilitating aging bridges, expanding rail connections at ports, adding modern locomotives to fleets, and more. The CRISI Program is also the only federal grant program prioritizing smaller, short line railroads vital to the American economy and regional supply chains.   

Federal Railroad Administration

This announcement is part of a series of investments the Federal Railroad Administration has made in nearly 300 rail projects and dozens of emerging passenger rail corridors across the country through Bipartisan Infrastructure Law-funded Federal Railroad Administration grant programs. This marks the most significant investment in American rail in more than 50 years. 

“Today’s investments in our rail systems reflect the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to building a stronger, safer, and more resilient transportation network,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “Through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, we’re funding rail infrastructure projects that create jobs and expand workforce development, reduce costs for consumers, and directly benefit communities across the country. Each project advances a future where our supply chains are stronger, passenger rail more accessible, and freight movement safer and more efficient.” 

While the majority of CRISI grants directly improve rail infrastructure, CRISI investments are also supporting the rail workforce and investing in the hardworking Americans who will help maintain and operate the Nation’s rail networks well into the future. Federal funding will create new apprenticeship programs, expand training opportunities, establish partnerships with universities, and advance innovative research. For example, one grant awarded to the Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen will help develop an effective strategy for integrating wayside hot box detectors to enhance safety and proactively address derailments caused by wheel and bearing failures. 

“Under the Biden-Harris Administration and through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Federal Railroad Administration is investing more than ever in communities nationwide, reversing a half-century of federal underinvestment in America’s rail network and delivering the world-class rail our citizens deserve,” said FRA Administrator Amit Bose. “Today’s CRISI grants will enhance rail safety, better connect towns, cities, and ports, introduce more environmentally friendly locomotives, support the current rail workforce, and provide workforce development opportunities essential to the future of our industry and the national economy.” 

Selected CRISI projects this round include:  

• Piedmont Regional Rail Capacity Improvement Project (Up to $27,423,985)

Chester County 

The proposed project was selected for Project Development, Final Design, right-of-way acquisition and Construction and includes activities for various track and signal improvements, as well as the procurement of track maintenance equipment, for the Lancaster and Chester Railroad. The project aligns with the selection criteria by improving effects on safety and system and service performance by reducing congestion between short line and Class I freight trains operating along the corridor and increasing the reliability of existing short line equipment. Lancaster and Chester Railroad and Norfolk Southern will contribute the 20 percent non-Federal match. This project qualifies for the statutory set-aside for projects in Rural Areas. 

In addition to deploying historic funding to modernize and upgrade rail infrastructure, USDOT and FRA have taken unprecedented actions under the Biden-Harris Administration to improve rail safety. This includes finalizing new safety regulations, conducting focused safety audits, expanding a vital safety program to include workers at Class I freight railroads, and pushing freight railroads to provide guaranteed paid sick leave to all of their workers. 

The full list of Fiscal Year 2023 and 2024 CRISI project selections can be found here. Additional information on Federal Railroad Administration CRISI Program is also available here.