August 14, 2026 - TRA Newswire -

A federal grant from the Federal Railroad Administration will give the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) more than three-quarters of a billion dollars for rail grade separation projects across the state.

TxDOT will receive more than $755 million through the National Railroad Partnership Program/Federal Railroad Administration's Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail (FSP) Grant Program to advance 12 critical rail grade separation projects across Texas. These awards are collectively the highest amount of any state or local recipient receiving funds.

Counties that will benefit include Bexar, Dallas, El Paso, Fort Bend, Guadalupe, Harris, Kaufman, and Tarrant.  

$189 million of the total will eliminate nine crossings within the cities of Fort Worth, Dallas, and Terrell Texas.

In addition, the City of Kyle and Hays County also received awards for critical rail crossing projects in their jurisdiction. Hays County gets $39 million to construct a grade-separated bridge

"I have led the charge to increase funding for rail grade separation projects to keep Texans safe," said Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick. "By leveraging state funding to secure significant federal funding for rail grade separation projects, we will be able to improve rail and road safety for all Texans.”

The FSP provides funding for capital projects on passenger rail lines that reduce infrastructure backlogs, improve transportation system performance and enhance rail service while increasing safety and mobility for communities. The awarded funds will support projects that eliminate crossings by constructing grade separations, removing potential conflicts between trains and roadway traffic.

“By eliminating at-grade rail crossings, we can improve safety, reduce congestion and keep people and goods moving more efficiently,” said TxDOT Executive Director Marc Williams. “We thank the Federal Railroad Administration for its partnership and support through the Federal-State Partnership Program. This significant investment will allow Texas communities to advance critical infrastructure projects that enhance safety, mobility and economic opportunity.”

TxDOT leveraged $77.6 million in funding from the state's Off-System Rail Grade Separation State Fund Program to help local governments meet federal matching requirements and maximize participation in the grant program. This approach enabled more communities across Texas to compete successfully for federal funding and advance long-planned transportation improvements. Earlier this year, the Texas Transportation Commission awarded $160.4 million in funding from the State Fund for the elimination of five crossings.

Texas Rail Advocates had been a stakeholder in urging legislators to pass Senate Bill 1555 last year, which resulted in the first rail crossing grant program that involved state funding. Previously, the state relied on an allocation of only some $20 million a year in federal distributed funds under a Section 130 rail crossing elimination grant. 

The 12 funded projects represent a combined local-state-federal investment of more than $953 million in communities across the state and will help deliver safer, more reliable transportation networks for Texans for years to come.

Photo credit: Federal Railroad Administration