The project is for project planning and includes activities to study four of the highest priority highway-rail grade crossings in giles county, virginia

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) awarded County of Giles $380,000 under the Railroad Crossing Elimination Program (CFDA 20.327) on May 1, 2025, for project planning activities focused on highway-rail grade crossing safety improvements. The grant supports comprehensive planning, assessment, and design work for four priority highway-rail grade crossings identified by Giles County in Virginia. Through this planning phase, the county will evaluate potential solutions to enhance safety and mobility for pedestrians, vehicular traffic, and train operations at these crossings, with the ultimate project completion date of October 31, 2027.

The deliverables from this grant include detailed planning documentation, feasibility assessments, and preliminary engineering studies that will inform future project development and implementation activities at the four priority crossing locations. This planning effort aligns with the RCE Program's mandate to improve transportation safety and reduce conflicts at highway-rail intersections, establishing the foundation for subsequent grade separation, closure, or safety improvement projects. The County of Giles, operating through its County Board of Supervisors, will serve as the prime grantee and manage all project planning activities in accordance with federal requirements for the reimbursement-based funding model.

The project assesses potential solutions to improve the safety and mobility concerns to benefit pedestrians, vehicular traffic, and train service. Giles county identified the four highest priority highway-rail grade crossing upgrades, to help improve safety concerns. The project planning activities will be developed to support future project development activities.