Brady PieperThe Texas Senate is moving forward with a $350 million bill that would fund rail grade separation projects and increase safety around dangerous rail crossings throughout the state.
The new legislation, Senate Bill 1555, proposes the creation of a new state grant program to separate dangerous pedestrian, road and railway intersections, addressing a long-standing concern over safety near railroads in Texas. While the bill was approved unanimously by the Senate, the Texas House of Representatives will review the bill before final passage or enactment.
The passage of SB1555 comes after the death of Sergio Rodriguez, a 15-year-old Houston ISD high school student who was struck and killed by a train in December. Reigniting concerns over the safety of rail crossings, especially near schools, the state is proposing new state funding for the elimination of dangerous rail-road-pedestrian intersections.
“The death of (Sergio) should have never occurred,” Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said in a statement following SB1555’s passage. “There should have been a railroad grade separation. No Texan should die at these dangerous crossings, especially near our schools.”
The Texas Transportation Commission would manage the proposed grant program, distributing funds to local municipalities for the planning and construction of rail grade separation projects. According to the bill language, the commission could accept gifts and grants from the state and federal sponsors but cannot utilize any existing support from the State Highway Fund for grants.
The grant program is designed to support rail-roadway grade separation projects on railroads and public roadways that are not attached to the state’s highway system. Program grants would also support rail-pedestrian grade separation projects at locations where railroads and public pedestrian paths meet.
Typically, these projects work to offset the level or “grade” at which railroads and roads intersect, often requiring an overpass or underpass structure to mitigate collisions.
Municipalities develop rail-roadway and rail-pedestrian grade separation projects to improve public safety, enhance traffic flow, reduce congestion and mitigate usage-related damage to infrastructure.
While the legislation still requires approval from the Texas House of Representatives, the bill states that the rules and policies it proposes would be enacted by the Texas Transportation Commission by Oct. 1. The railroad and railway funding initiative will need two-thirds approval from the Texas House to be enacted.
Notably, the U.S. Department of Transportation delivers federal grants and loans to state and local governments for railroad and grade crossing projects. Recently, the federal government announced over $1.25 billion in grants for rail projects around the country, which included up to $73.1 million in federal funding for right-of-way acquisitions and the elimination of dangerous rail crossings in Texas and New Mexico.
