High-Speed Rail Corridors and Intercity Passenger Rail Service – Capital Assistance Grants

To assist in financing the capital costs of facilities, infrastructure, and equipment necessary to provide or improve high-speed rail and intercity passenger rail service. Funds were made available pursuant to three authorized programs: Intercity Pas

The HSR/IPR Program provides an unprecedented investment to speed up trains in the Northeast Corridor, expand service in the Midwest and provide new, state-of-the-art locomotives and rail cars as part of DOT's plan to transform travel in America. This historic investment will create tens of thousands of jobs, improve mobility and stimulate American manufacturing.

States (including the District of Columbia), groups of states, interstate compacts, public agencies established by one or more states and having responsibility for providing intercity passenger rail service or high-speed passenger rail service, Amtrak, Amtrak in cooperation with states.

The general public, both users and non-users of intercity passenger rail service. State departments of transportation and other public agencies, although private transportation companies may participate through contractual arrangements with a State department of transportation.

Assistance can be used to develop projects, programs and planning. This includes Projects which will result in the creation of new or substantially improved High-Speed Rail/Intercity Passenger Rail service, and will provide tangible and measurable benefits, such as on-time performance improvements, travel-time reductions and higher service frequencies resulting in increased ridership. Final Design, the last phase of project development, includes right-of-way acquisition, utility relocation, the preparation of final design plans, construction management plans, system safety plans for construction management and operations, safety certification, any required collision hazard analysis, final construction cost estimates and detail specifications, as well as procurement of construction services and equipment. Funds may not be used to funding operating expenses, or for commuter rail passenger transportation. All funds are discretionary.

Congress made $8 billion available through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA). Congress continued to build upon the Recovery Act by making available an additional $2.1 billion through annual appropriations for FY 2009 and 2010, using the framework initially established by the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008 (PRIIA), bringing the total program funding to $10.1 billion. Funding appropriated under ARRA was awarded to grantees by September 30, 2012, and expended by September 30, 2017. Funding appropriated under PRIIA shall remain available until expended. Method of awarding/releasing assistance: Funds are awarded through a standardized drawdown or "auto-pay" process for some grantees, and for others, the agency maintains the right to release funds through an invoicing method, with the ability to enforce a payment hold. Funding is obligated through cooperative agreements, and outlays occur as reimbursement. For complex corridor development programs, FRA will issue a Letter of Intent (LOI) that represents a contingent financial commitment to a state's corridor program. A LOI does not represent an obligation or disbursement of funds. Funding will only be obligated and disbursed as milestones are achieved. Method of awarding/releasing assistance: Funds are awarded through a standardized drawdown or "auto-pay" process for some grantees, and for others, the agency maintains the right to release funds through an invoicing method, with the ability to enforce a payment hold. Funding is obligated through cooperative agreements, and outlays occur as reimbursement. For complex corridor development programs, FRA will issue a Letter of Intent (LOI) that represents a contingent financial commitment to a state's corridor program. A LOI does not represent an obligation or disbursement of funds. Funding will only be obligated and disbursed as milestones are achieved.

This program requires submission of environmental impact information based on the project type.

Applications will be individually evaluated against the following criteria, listed in order of priority: 1) achieving transportation solutions in a cost-effective manner; 2) achieving public benefits in a cost-effective manner; 3) sustainability of transportation and other public benefits; 4) management and minimization of project delivery risk; and 5) timeliness of project commencement and completion. Selection of applications for award will also take into account the following selection criteria: 1) regional balance necessary to create a nationwide high-speed rail and intercity passenger rail network and address urban and non-urban mobility needs; 2) balance and diversity of cost-effective technological approaches to improving HSR and IPR service; 3). organizing multi-State partnerships and encouraging community involvement where appropriate; and 4) previous HSIPR Program grants and previous State investments in high-speed intercity passenger rail.

Review the application package to ensure that all required documents are complete and signed by the appropriate person. Review the statement of work (SOW) and budget to ensure the appropriation language requirements are met. Review SOW for technical issues and budget for appropriate costs, including compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act and related laws and orders. After the SOW, schedule, and budget are acceptable to both FRA and the grantee, a grant agreement is drafted, reviewed, and signed upon agreement by both parties.

FRA is committed to responding to applicants in a reasonable and timely manner. Response times will vary based on size, scope, complexity, and volume of applications.