West Houston News

Washington, D.C. - Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials Subcommittee Chairman Troy Nehls (R-TX) expressed the importance of addressing highway-railroad grade crossing eliminations and safety improvements in his opening remarks at a recent hearing.

During the hearing, Chairman Nehls highlighted the alarming statistic that there are approximately 212,000 highway-rail grade crossings in the United States. He emphasized the need to prevent grade crossing accidents and fatalities, which he believes are entirely avoidable.

"Grade crossing accidents and fatalities are entirely preventable," Chairman Nehls stated.

He pointed out that it is the responsibility of states to determine how to address grade crossings, taking into account factors such as safety, railroad operations, and vehicle traffic considerations. Chairman Nehls stressed that eliminating rail crossings where necessary and feasible can significantly reduce the risk of grade crossing incidents.

To assist states and communities in grade crossing elimination and safety efforts, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) established the Railroad Crossing Elimination Grant Program. This program has been allocated a total of $3 billion over five years, with an annual funding of approximately $600 million. In Fiscal Year 2022, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) awarded $570 million in Railroad Crossing Elimination grants to projects in 32 states, addressing over 400 at-grade crossings.

Chairman Nehls proudly mentioned that his home state of Texas received around $86 million for five major grade crossing projects from the grant program.

Looking ahead, Chairman Nehls indicated that the FRA is expected to announce a notice of funding opportunity in the near future, inviting applications for additional grade crossing improvement projects. He stressed the importance of ensuring transparency, simplicity, and accessibility in the application process, as well as proper oversight of the grant program.

"We must ensure this process is transparent, easy to navigate, and that the money is accessible for all communities," Chairman Nehls emphasized.

With the upcoming surface transportation reauthorization, Chairman Nehls expressed the need to evaluate existing programs and determine their effectiveness. He called for an examination of the appropriate funding levels and the potential to enhance existing grade crossing elimination and safety efforts, such as the Railroad Crossing Elimination Grant Program.

In conclusion, Chairman Nehls expressed his anticipation for the testimony of the witnesses at the hearing. He expressed his interest in learning about ways to improve existing programs, the resources required by states and communities, and strategies to reduce government bureaucracy and simplify the funding process.

The hearing aimed to address the critical issue of railroad grade crossing elimination and safety, with Chairman Nehls leading the call for enhanced efforts and resources to prevent accidents and protect the public.