Railroad Crossing Elimination Grant Program
🏛 DOT - Federal Railroad Administration
Can you apply?
This grant is for eliminating public railroad crossings through infrastructure improvements, safety upgrades, and closure projects. Eligible applicants include states, local governments, railroads, tribal nations, and regional authorities responsible for public roads that intersect with rail lines. Geographic scope covers all U.S. states and territories. Funded activities include at-grade crossing improvements (signals, gates, pavement), grade separation projects (overpasses or underpasses), grade crossing closures, and associated planning and design work. Applicants must demonstrate commitment to the project and provide matching funds, typically 20% of total project costs.
⚖️ Cost sharing / matching required — applicants must contribute their own funds.
This grant is for eliminating public railroad crossings through infrastructure improvements, safety upgrades, and closure projects. Eligible applicants include states, local governments, railroads, tribal nations, and regional authorities responsible for public roads that intersect with rail lines. Geographic scope covers all U.S. states and territories. Funded activities include at-grade crossing improvements (signals, gates, pavement), grade separation projects (overpasses or underpasses), grade crossing closures, and associated planning and design work. Applicants must demonstrate commitment to the project and provide matching funds, typically 20% of total project costs.
Program description
The Crossings Program funds highway-rail or pathway-rail grade crossing improvement projects, including but not limited to elimination projects, that improve safety and mobility of people and goods.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
Details
This grant is for eliminating public railroad crossings through infrastructure improvements, safety upgrades, and closure projects. Eligible applicants include states, local governments, railroads, tribal nations, and regional authorities responsible for public roads that intersect with rail lines. Geographic scope covers all U.S. states and territories. Funded activities include at-grade crossing improvements (signals, gates, pavement), grade separation projects (overpasses or underpasses), grade crossing closures, and associated planning and design work. Applicants must demonstrate commitment to the project and provide matching funds, typically 20% of total project costs.
How to apply
Application links
Key dates & requirements
Required documents
- SF-424 (Application for Federal Assistance)
- Project narrative describing crossing location, safety issues, proposed solution, and alignment with state/regional transportation plans
- Detailed project budget and cost estimate with breakdown by phase (design, environmental review, construction)
- Evidence of matching funds or local financial commitment
- Letter of support or non-opposition from affected railroad(s)
- Engineering report or feasibility study documenting existing conditions and proposed improvements
- Environmental assessment or NEPA determination status
- Maps and diagrams of the crossing and proposed project
- Documentation of public coordination and stakeholder support
- Proof of applicant's legal authority to undertake the project
Program contact
- 👤 DOT - Federal Railroad Administration
- 📧 support@grants.gov
- 📞 202-493-0112
Funding track record
Recent awards under CFDA 20.327 from the last 3 years — real organizations that won funding through this same program.
Top 10 Largest Recent Awards
-
$41,766,038
-
$36,000,000
-
$31,171,088
-
$30,000,000
-
$26,250,000
-
$23,964,400
-
$23,200,000
-
$20,000,000
-
$19,818,219
-
$19,550,000
Top States by Funding
- OH 4 awards $63.0M
- IN 7 awards $55.1M
- AL 2 awards $53.5M
- ID 2 awards $37.2M
- NM 2 awards $34.5M
Source: USAspending.gov — federal spending transparency. Data covers last 3 years.
Funding history
Annual funding for this program — Federal obligations (CFDA 20.327). How funding has trended year over year.
| 2024 | $102,905,840 | |
| 2025 | $298,000,000 | |
| 2026 est. | $551,000,000 |
FAQ
Who is eligible to apply for this grant?
Eligible applicants include state departments of transportation, local governments, metropolitan planning organizations, railroad companies, tribal nations, and public authorities that have jurisdiction over public roads at railroad crossings. Private entities may apply in partnership with a public sponsor.
What is the application deadline?
The application opens on April 24, 2026, and the deadline for submission is June 8, 2026. This provides approximately 6 weeks for application preparation.
What types of railroad crossing elimination projects are funded?
Eligible activities include at-grade crossing improvements (signaling, gates, barriers), grade separation projects (overpasses/underpasses), closure of redundant crossings, planning and engineering studies, and associated environmental reviews and safety assessments.
How competitive is this funding?
This program is moderately to highly competitive. Awards typically fund a significant percentage of eligible project costs, but demand usually exceeds available funding, particularly for expensive grade separation projects.
What is the typical funding range?
Project awards vary widely depending on scope, ranging from several hundred thousand dollars for safety improvements to several million for grade separation construction. FRA typically announces target project sizes in the Federal Register notice.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Start by identifying specific public railroad crossings with documented safety issues, crash history, or high traffic volumes—the strongest applications demonstrate clear need with data.
- Secure letters of support from the railroad company early; FRA requires railroad agreement or at minimum non-opposition to funded projects.
- Develop a detailed project budget and timeline that accounts for environmental review, design, permitting, and construction phases; grade separation projects often take 3-5 years from approval to completion.
- Include matching fund documentation (typically 20%) showing committed local, state, or private funding sources before submitting the application.
- Align your project with state and regional transportation plans, and demonstrate how the crossing elimination supports broader safety, economic, or land use goals beyond just rail safety.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Applications fail when they lack clear documentation of crossing hazards or safety justification—FRA expects crash data, pedestrian/vehicle volume counts, or safety analysis explaining why elimination or improvement is needed. Another common rejection reason is inadequate project readiness; applicants must demonstrate they have or can obtain environmental clearance, design approval, and railroad coordination before funds are awarded. Finally, underestimating project costs or overestimating local match availability undermines credibility and often leads to funding reductions or denials.
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