October 6, 2024 - TRA Newswire -

At the September Texas Senate Transportation Committee's interim hearing, Committee Chairman Robert Nichols, (R) - Jacksonville, raised concern that Texas isn't putting enough money into solving the issue of separating trains from traffic at the over 16,000 rail crossings in the state.

Other rail issues brought up at the hearing included a discussion on the needs of short line railroads in the state that support hundreds of businesses and industry shippers and how Class 1 railroads are ready to work with officials on a significant funding gap for traffic mitigation at crossings. However, the subject of intercity or regional passenger rail and how it can be a multi-modal solution for future growth in the state was not addressed.

The most time spent by the committee on the topic of railroads centered on at-grade crossings and the effects on congestion and safety. 

The Texas Department of Transportation only receives about $25 million a year in federal grants for safety enhancements at road-rail crossings, according to officials. It was pointed out during the hearing that the average highway bridge over a railroad runs about $15 million to construct.

"There's a lot of at-grade rail crossings and it's something we need to take a look at", according to Chairman Nichols. "we're slowing down vehicle traffic for passengers but we're also slowing down traffic for rail, which makes products more expensive and our state less competitive and it's also a safety issue when you've got trains and cars at the same time."

Nichols instructed TxDOT officials to go back over the last 15-20 years and look at what has been spent on at-grade crossings. 

Nichols asked "are we leaving any federal money that might be available on the table because we are not funding that program? I keep hearing there is federal money out there but we're not gearing up and putting our resources in to get that ar-grade rail crossing."

There is an Exceptional Item request in the TxDOT 2026-2027 Legislative Appropriation Request for $175 million in general funds for at-grade rail crossing improvements around the state. 

"If the legislature approves the $175 million request for at-grade rail crossings safety, like bridges over rail lines and underpasses on busy railroads, it then allows Texas to leverage that money with federal grants for a bigger bang for the buck," according to Texas Rail Advocates President Peter LeCody. "The state has been shut out of these competitive federal rail grant programs in the past because there was no state match. This will be the first time TxDOT has asked for signficant funding for grade crossing safety measures and we are pleased to see this happen."

French Thompson, General Director of Public Infrastructure and Investments for BNSF Railway, spoke on behalf of Class 1 railroads in the state and reaffairmed their support to work with officials to minimize traffic issues at rail crossings. "We are well aware of the economic and population growth in the state. Population density around railroad facilities has led to congestion at crossings," said French. He spoke in support of the request for $175 million in state rail crossing funds. 

"The Class 1 railroads stand ready to partner with you to craft solutions to get them funded and built," said French. "it is our committment to making all possible operational changes to mitigate impact on the citizens in Texas communities."

Two other exceptional items are in queue from TxDOT for the legislature to approve. One is $25 million for infrastructure improvements on short line railroads and the other is $2 million to support the daily Heartland Flyer bi-state passenger rail service that operates between Fort Worth and Okahoma City. The train is a long-time partnership between Oklahoma and Texas DOTs and is the only direct daily ground transportation mode between Fort Worth, Gainesville and Oklahoma cities. 

Joe Evans, TNW Corporation's Business Support and Development Leader for the short line company, spoke about the challenges of the first-mile, last-mile service for rural communities and their businesses and industries. "While other states have established and grown grant programs to support their short-line networks, Texas remains one of the few states without such a program." Evans citied Louisiana, which is 2022 launched a program that awarded grants to five short lines, which improved tracks and reduced truck traffic on highways. 

Chairman Nichols said he appreciated what short line railroads are doing. When he was Mayor or Jacksonville, Nichols experienced the abandoment of a branch railroad that affected about a dozen businesses that had to shift to highway shipping or move somewhere that had a railroad siding. Nichols said he is very supportive of short lines. 

During the 88th legislative session in 2023, record funding for aviation and maritime was submitted in exceptional items and was approved by lawmakers. There were no exceptional items during the last session for rail projects. 

Photo credit: Senate Transportation online feed