$8.8M in funds for railroad crossing safety

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) announced $8,810,502 in federal funding for four projects to improve railroad crossing safety, reduce traffic delays, and strengthen the movement of people and goods across Virginia. The funding was made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which the senators helped negotiate and pass.

“Safe and reliable rail transportation is essential to keeping Virginia families, businesses, and our economy moving,” said the senators. “These federal investments will improve safety at railroad crossings, cut down on traffic delays, and help goods travel more efficiently across the Commonwealth. We’re thrilled to see the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law continuing to deliver for Virginia communities.”

The funding will support the following projects:

• $3,520,000 for the Portlock Road Grade Separation Project in Chesapeake to support final design work for the elimination of a railroad crossing along the Norfolk Southern rail corridor. The project will improve safety for drivers and pedestrians, reduce delays for emergency responders, and help freight move more efficiently to and from the Port of Virginia.
• $2,000,000 for the U.S. Route 15 Railroad Overpass Improvements Project in Haymarket to support environmental review and preliminary engineering for a future grade separation at a highway-rail grade crossing at U.S. Route 15 and the Norfolk Southern B-line. The project will eliminate a crossing frequently blocked by trains, reducing traffic delays, improving emergency response times, and enhancing safety along a key commuter and freight corridor.  
• $1,719,342 for the Hampton Roads Transportation Planning Organization Grade Crossing Project in Chesapeake to support planning and safety evaluations of approximately 35 public highway-rail grade crossings along a major freight corridor serving the Port of Virginia. The project will identify opportunities to eliminate or separate crossings and improve safety technology in coordination with Norfolk Southern Railway and the Norfolk & Portsmouth Belt Line Railroad, as well as reduce traffic disruptions, strengthen access for emergency responders, and support freight movement through one of the nation’s busiest port complexes.
• $1,571,160 for the Spotsylvania County Rail Safety Corridor Project to support final design work for safety improvements at three highway-rail grade crossings along the Richmond, Fredericksburg, and Potomac rail corridor. Planned improvements include separating Landsdowne Road from the railroad, upgrading warning devices at Mine Road, and installing active warning devices at Benchmark Road to reduce the risk of collisions and improve safety for motorists.

This funding was awarded through the Department of Transportation’s Railroad Crossing Elimination (Crossing Safety) Grant Program, which supports projects to eliminate dangerous rail crossings, improve transportation safety, reduce traffic delays, and strengthen the movement of people and goods. Each project will also be supported by a 20 percent non-federal cost share from local or regional partners.

Sens. Warner and Kaine have secured hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funding to modernize Virginia’s transportation infrastructure. Earlier this month, the senators announced $3.6 million to modernize the Shenandoah Valley Railroad. In August, the senators announced more than $17 million in federal funding for passenger rail improvement projects across Virginia, and in July, the senators announced more than $76 million for Virginia transportation infrastructure projects. Many of the investments were made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, a transformative investment in American infrastructure needs.