Railroad Crossing Elimination (RCE) Program - FY 2023/2024
| Agency: | U.S. Department of Transportation |
|---|---|
| CFDA: | 20.327 |
| Federal FON: | FR-RCE-24-001 |
| Office: | Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) |
| Multipart Grant: | No |
| Next Due: | 09/23/2024 (Application) |
|---|---|
| Solicitation Date: | 07/10/2024 |
| Match Required: | Yes |
| Match Type: | Cash/In-Kind |
| Actual Funds: | Unspecified |
| Range: | $1,148,809,580 (Max) |
Summary:
The purpose of this program is to support highway-rail or pathway-rail grade crossing improvement projects that focus on improving the safety and mobility of people and goods. Such projects will improve American rail infrastructure to enhance rail safety, improve the health and safety of communities, eliminate highway-rail and pathway-rail grade crossings that are frequently blocked by trains, and reduce the impacts that freight movement and railroad operations may have on underserved communities.
The funding agency generally evaluates applications in tracks based on the lifecycle stages of a capital project. While applications covering multiple lifecycle stages are not precluded, the funding agency generally expects that applications identify only one of the following tracks for an eligible proposed project:
- Track 1: project planning: Track 1 consists of project planning specific to an eligible capital project; example activities for project planning include:
- Development of a purpose and need statement
- Completion of conceptual engineering and other design
- Documentation showing that project alternatives were considered
- Completion of an environmental resource inventory and potential environmental concerns analysis
- Scale design drawings
- Public and stakeholder involvement
- Completion of an order-of-magnitude project cost estimate
- Completion of an initial project management plan, for major projects
- Track 2: project development: Track 2 consists of projects for eligible project development activities; example activities include:
- Completion of professional engineer (PE) and architectural or other design
- PE drawings and specifications
- Design criteria, schematics, and/or track charts that support the development of PE
- Work that can be funded in conjunction with developing PE, such as operations modeling, surveying, project work/management plans, preliminary cost estimates, and preliminary project schedules
- Completion of environmental review
- Completion of applicable project management documentation
- Track 3: final design (FD)/construction: Track 3 consists of projects for eligible FD and construction activities; example activities include:
- FD activities, including:
- Completion of the FD documentation
- Acquisition of right-of-way
- Resolving remaining uncertainties or risks associated with changes to the design and scope of the capital project
- Construction activities, including:
- Physical construction and installation of the capital project
- Procurement and manufacturing of vehicles and equipment
- Project administration
- FD activities, including:
Project planning projects must be sufficiently developed when complete to support project development activities. Project development projects must first demonstrate completion of project planning elements prior to project development funds being awarded and be sufficiently developed when complete to support FD or construction activities. Applicants must complete all necessary planning and project development stages prior to moving to the FD/construction stage of a project. Refer to pages 5-6 of the NOFA file for additional information regarding application tracks.
Eligible project types include:
- Grade separation or closure, including through the use of a bridge, embankment, tunnel, or combination thereof
- Track relocation
- The improvement or installation of protective devices, signals, signs, or other measures that improve safety, provided that such activities are related to a separation or relocation project
- Other means to improve the safety and mobility of people and goods at highway-rail grade crossings, including technological solutions
- A group of related projects described above that would collectively improve the mobility of people and goods
- The planning, environmental review, and design of an eligible project described above
Preference will be given to eligible projects that:
- Result in one or more grade separated crossings
- Close grade crossings through track relocation
- Result in corridor-wide grade crossing improvements
In addition, the funding agency will consider how projects address the following key administration priorities:
- Safety
- Climate change and sustainability
- Equity and Justice40
- Workforce development, job quality, and wealth creation
An optional webinar is scheduled for this program. Refer to the Application section for details.
Last Updated: August 14, 2024
Eligibility Notes:
Eligible applicants are:
- States, including the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and other U.S. territories and possessions
- Political subdivisions of a state
- Federally recognized Indian tribes
- Units of local government or groups of local governments
- Public port authorities
- Metropolitan planning organizations
- Groups of entities listed above
An application may identify entities that are not eligible applicants as project partners.
Applicants are not limited in the number of projects for which they seek funding. Applicants submitting more than one application are requested to submit a priority ranking of their submitted applications that is consistent with each application package submitted.
The funding agency generally evaluates applications in tracks based on the lifecycle stages of a capital project. While applications covering multiple lifecycle stages are not precluded, the funding agency generally expects that applications identify only one of the following tracks for an eligible proposed project:
- Track 1: project planning
- Track 2: project development
- Track 3: final design (FD)/construction
If an application seeks funding under more than one application track for multiple lifecycle stages, the funding agency may award funds for the application track and corresponding lifecycle stage(s) it determines most appropriate based on project readiness information.
The funding agency may concurrently solicit applications for transportation infrastructure projects for several financial assistance programs. Applicants may submit applications requesting funding for a particular project to one or more of these programs. In the application for funding under this program, applicants must indicate the other program(s) to which they submitted an application for funding the entire project or certain components, as well as highlight new or revised information in the application responsive to this program that differs from the previously submitted application(s).
Previous award recipients include:
- Los Angeles County (CA)
- Colorado Department of Transportation (CO)
- Broward Metropolitan Planning Organization (FL)
- Town of Schererville (IN)
- City of Bend (OR)
Refer to the Award file for additional information regarding previous award recipients.
Eligible Applicants:
Local GovernmentConsortia
Native American Tribe
State Government
Application Notes:
Applications must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. ET on September 23, 2024.
Applications must be submitted online at www.ecivis.com/grants.gov.
Applications must include:
- Project narrative (25 pages max, excluding cover pages, table of contents, and supporting documentation)
- Statement of work (SOW), project budget, estimated project schedule, and performance measures
- Environmental compliance documentation
- Draft agreement required under 49 USC 22905(c)(1) (if applicable)
- SF 424
- SF 424A or SF 424C (as applicable)
- SF 424B or SF 424D (as applicable)
- Certifications
- Applicant financial capability questionnaire
- SF LLL (if applicable)
Attachment must be uploaded in the generally accepted formats listed on page 13 of the NOFA file.
The following are required in order to submit an application:
- Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number
- SAM (System for Award Management) registration
- SPOC (state Single Point of Contact) notification
Applicants may obtain a UEI number and verify or renew SAM registration status at www.ecivis.com/sam. Applicants in states participating in the SPOC program must contact the relevant SPOC listed in the SPOC file before applying.
An optional webinar for this program is scheduled as follows:
July 25, 2024
1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. ET
Registration: usdot.zoomgov.com
The recording of the webinar can be found online at www.youtube.com.
Applications will be evaluated according to the following criteria:
- Project readiness
- Technical merit
- Project benefits
Refer to the NOFA file for additional application information.
| Match Required: | Yes |
|---|---|
| Match Type: | Cash/In-Kind |
| Actual Funds: | Unspecified |
| Range: | $1,148,809,580 (Max) |
Match Notes:
Applicants must provide at least 20 percent of the total project costs via cash or in-kind contributions. Matching contributions may be comprised of public sector or private sector funding. In-kind contributions may include the donation of services, materials, and equipment.
Matching contributions may not include any federal financial assistance or any nonfederal funds already expended, or otherwise encumbered, toward the matching requirement, unless such sources are compliant with 2 CFR part 200.
Funding Notes:
Up to $1,148,809,580 is available to support grants and/or cooperative agreements through this program. Of the total funding available, certain funding amounts have been set aside for the following purposes:
- At least 3 percent of the total funding available, or $38,281,580, will be made available for planning projects, and of these funds, $10.84 million will be made available for planning projects located in rural areas or on tribal lands
- At least 20 percent of the total funding available, or $229,305,600, will be made available for projects located in rural areas or on tribal lands, and at least 5 percent of these funds, or $11,465,280, will be made available for projects in counties with 20 or fewer residents per square mile, according to the most recent decennial census
- At least $3 million will be made available for highway-rail grade crossing safety information and education projects
The funding agency will consider a project to be in a rural area or on tribal lands if all or the majority of the project is located in a rural area or on tribal lands.
The minimum award amount is $1 million, except for planning projects. Projects requesting less than $1 million must consist solely of planning activities. There are no predetermined maximum award amounts; however, no more than 20 percent of the total funding available, or $229,761,916, will be awarded for projects in any single state.
Funds will be provided on a reimbursement basis.
Funds may not be used for:
- Costs that are included in or used to meet cost sharing or matching requirements of any other federally financed award or program
- Costs associated with the scope of work for an existing federal award
For FY 2022, more than $570 million was distributed via 63 awards ranging from $60,000 to $41,766,038 through this program. Refer to the Award file for details.
Contacts:
Program Staff
NOFO-Support@dot.gov
Jenny Zeng
Transportation Industry Analyst
(857) 330-2481
Jenny.Zeng@dot.gov
Stefani Gaede
Transportation Industry Analyst
(202) 940-8426
stefani.gaede@dot.gov
Agency Address
U.S. Department of Transportation
Federal Railroad Administration
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
Washington, D.C. 20590
Contact Notes:
Questions should be directed to the program contacts provided.
Applications must be submitted online at www.ecivis.com/grants.gov.
The agency address provided is for reference purposes only.
Files:
NOFA File: US17717_NOFA_FY2023-24.pdf (434.7 Kb)Award File: US17717_Award_FY2023-24.pdf (359.6 Kb)
Other Pre-Award File: US17717_Webinar_FY2023-24.pdf (136.2 Kb)
Other Pre-Award File: US17717_WebinarPresentation_FY2023-24.pdf (3.2 Mb)
Federal Forms:
SPOC (67.7 Kb)File Notes:
The NOFA file contains the full solicitation for this program. The Webinar file contains information regarding the optional webinar that is scheduled for this program. The WebinarPresentation file contains the slides of the pre-application webinar held for this program. The Award file contains information on previous award recipients. The SPOC file contains information on the state Single Point of Contact program.
August 14, 2024
A recording of the webinar for this program has been released, and a link to the presentation is available in the Application section. Additionally, the slides of the webinar have been released and attached as the WebinarPresentation file.
July 15, 2024
Information regarding an optional webinar that is scheduled for this program has been released and attached as the Webinar file. The Application section has been updated accordingly.
Grant Keywords
Railroad Crossing Elimination Program, United States Department of Transportation, U.S. Department of Transportation, USDOT, Department of Transportation, DOT, Federal Railroad Administration, FRA, rail, railroad, railroad crossing, railroad crossing elimination, RCE, RCE Program, Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, IIJA, community development, transportation, transport, transit, highway-rail, pathway-rail, grade crossing, public safety, safety, mobility, territory, territories, Puerto Rico, tribe, tribal, public port authority, metropolitan planning organization, MPO, rail infrastructure, rail safety, train, freight, railroad operation, underserved, capital project, rail passenger transportation, construction, final design, grade separation, grade closure, improvement, intercity rail, track, track relocation, bridge, embankment, protective device, signal, sign, signageGrant Categories
Community DevelopmentTransportation