The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) recently announced that it had awarded $900,000 to three entities through the Interstate Rail Compacts (IRC) Grant Program.
The IRC Program provides new opportunities to entities implementing IRCs to advance multi-state and regional passenger rail service efforts. The rail networks being advanced through the inaugural round of IRC grants will improve passenger rail service for large swaths of the Midwest, South, and Southeast, including many states and communities that have never seen passenger rail service or had previous services discontinued for years.
“As funding from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law advances transformative rail projects in communities around the country, FRA is supporting all elements needed for new passenger rail services, from planning and development to the implementation of service,” FRA Administrator Amit Bose said. “The Interstate Rail Compacts Grant Program fills a vital need by providing entities implementing interstate rail compacts with the resources to build up an organizational and human infrastructure for the fluid operation of new services that will meet the needs of local communities.”
The three entities that received Fiscal Year 2022-2023 IRC Program funding are as follows:
- Up to $300,000 for the Midwest Interstate Passenger Rail Commission (MIPRC) Expansion Project: The proposed grant involves activities such as administration, promotion of intercity passenger rail operations, and preparation of competitive federal grant program applications. The project will help MIPRC increase efforts to advocate for and support the development and implementation of a robust passenger rail network in the Midwest region. MIPRC will provide a 50 percent non-federal match.
- Up to $400,000 for the Southern Rail Commission (SRC) Rail-Ready Project: The proposed grant involves activities such as administration, promotion of intercity passenger rail operations, operations coordination, and preparation of competitive federal grant program applications. The project will help the SRC build its organizational capacity to continue to support the expansion of intercity passenger rail service in the Southeast region. The SRC will provide a 50 percent non-federal match.
- Up to $200,000 for the North Carolina DOT on behalf of the Virginia – North Carolina Interstate High-Speed Rail Compact Commission (VA-NC HSR Compact): The proposed grant involves administration and system planning activities to complete the Southeast Rail Network Analysis. The project will help advance efforts to improve the fluidity of the Southeast rail network to benefit both passenger and freight rail. The North Carolina DOT and Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation, entities that operate the VA-NC HSR Compact, will contribute funds totaling a 50 percent non-federal match.
