Colorado will receive $1.9 million in federal funds to improve railway crossings, U.S. Department of Transportation officials announced Friday.
The funds granted to Colorado, along with more than $1 billion for projects in 40 other states, are part of a Federal Railway Administration initiative to improve and eliminate more than 1,000 crossings to reduce train-vehicle collisions and traffic delays.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, in a news release, called the initiative “a sweeping effort that directly supports cities, towns and villages in every region of the country in their efforts to protect lives, prevent drivers being delayed by blocked crossings, and improve the overall quality of life for their citizens.”
Train-vehicle accidents at crossings rank as the second largest cause of U.S. rail-related deaths, with more than 2,000 incidents and 200 fatalities documented each year. Federal Railway Administration officials say blockages caused by slow or stalled trains at crossings, including cases where emergency responders are delayed, resulted in 26,000 formal complaints this past year.
The feds said the grants are designed to reverse 50 years of underinvestment in rail networks.
In Colorado, the funds were awarded for the following projects:
- Central Denver efforts to eliminate grade crossings along the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway tracks at six locations. The funds to evaluate options are aimed at corridor-wide improvements and BNSF will contribute a 20% match to the federal funds of $1.2 million.
- Fort Collins efforts to plan a project to eliminate the Vine/Timberland Rail Grade crossings to improve safety, reduce traffic congestion and increase mobility. The city will contribute a 20% match of non-federal funds.
Get more Colorado news by signing up for our Mile High Roundup email newsletter.