December 6, 2025 - TRA Newswire -

Thanks to the 89th Texas legislature passing a rail grant program to eliminate at-grade crossings,  supported by Texas Rail Advocates, cities are starting to gear up their application for funds. The grant program, first of its kind to be administered by the Texas Department of Transportation, would close at-grade highway rail crossings with either overpasses or underpasses on busy railroad lines and would improve safety and traffic flow.

$250 million was allocated from general revenue by the legislature for this new rail grant program, and it is expected to be oversubscribed, which some of the funding already allocated to improve safety and congestion concerns at East Houston street crossings.

The state grant program would require a match from local or regional entities, with railroads also contributing a share of the cost. The new grant program specifically targets street and highway crossings that are not on TxDOT's statewide maintained network.

Grade separation is a physical separator at the crossing of a rail and a roadway so that neither interferes with the other.

"This is going to have a positive impact for safety and traffic concerns at local railroad crossings and it's a great first step by the Texas legislature to address this long-standing issue," according to Texas Rail Advocates President Peter LeCody. "In the past Texas' only grade-separated funds came from a token $30 million a year in federal funds. and that had to be used toward the 10,000-plus crossings in the state."

Senate Bill 1555, signed into law by Governor Greg Abbott, was passed by the legislature after hearing about the tragic death of Sergio Rodriguez, a 15-year-old Houston ISD student who was struck by a train on his way to school at a busy east-side railroad crossing.

KHOU-TV reported that in the first six months of 2025 the Houston Fire Department was delayed 643 times responding to calls because of blocked trains, and nearly half resulted in delay of service.

The Schertz-Cibolo-Universal City ISD, near San Antonio, approved a resolution in November that would support two city of Cibolo rail crossing projects. The Cibolo City Council approved a $50 million preliminary grant appllcation with a $5 million local match. Those projects are the FM 78-Country Lane Grade Separated Overpass Project and the MPO Pedestrian Bridge and Trail Connectivity Project. The FM 78 and Country Lane location has been the site of numerous train-vehicle accidents and frequent blocked crossings.

TxDOT began a Call for Projects November 3, 2025 which is now currently closed to new applications. According to the TXDOT website the Call for Projects will consist of a Preliminary Application and a Detailed Application. The applications will be web-based, submitted online through TxDOT’s Rail Division website.​ There is no limit to the number of projects sponsors can submit.

The Preliminary Application is designed to capture high-level project details, enabling the Committee to assess funding eligibility, challenges encountered by the community by the rail grade crossing, benefits created by the proposed project, and initial project readiness.

If a proposed project is selected for further evaluation, project sponsors will then complete a Detailed Application. The Detailed Application requests additional details, including, but not limited to, project complexity, project costs, letters of support, a conceptual layout or design plan if applicable, and ability to meet non-State match requirements.

Through the Call for Projects, selected projects will be recommended to the Texas Transportation Commission for final approval and awards.

Photo credit: Association of American Railroads