U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine L. Chao Announces More Than $18 Million in ‘State of Good Repair’ Grants to Improve the Reliability and Safety of New Jersey’s Rail Network

WASHINGTON – U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine L. Chao today announced an investment of more than $291 million in grants for 11 intercity passenger rail projects in nine states through the Federal-State Partnership for State of Good Repair Program (Partnership Program). New Jersey will receive more than $18.2 million.

“This $291 million in federal grants will upgrade rail infrastructure and enhance railroad safety and reliability in communities across America,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao.

New Jersey’s grant will improve rail platforms:

Trenton Transit Center Station Improvements

Up to $18,281,313

New Jersey Transit Corporation

Rehabilitates two island platforms and upgrades a side platform to high-level boarding, remediating existing platforms’ deteriorated conditions and expanding station capacity at the Trenton Transit Center. The station serves Amtrak intercity train services and New Jersey Transit commuter service. Project improves the safety and accessibility of the boarding environment, including full ADA compliance at all platforms at the station. The platforms, canopies, and vertical circulation elements being rehabilitated were rated adequate to poor in the applicant’s most recent assessment.

The Partnership Program is intended to improve intercity passenger rail performance by funding capital projects to repair, replace or rehabilitate publicly owned or controlled railroad assets, thereby bringing them into a state of good repair. Funding for these awards totals $291,422,706, with $198 million made available from the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2020 and $93,422,706 in remaining funds made available through the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2019.

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) published a Notice of Funding Opportunity for this award cycle on June 10, 2020. The evaluation and selection process considered several factors in choosing projects, including the project’s abilities to improve service and safety and to meet existing or anticipated demand.

“This Administration has invested billions in railroad infrastructure to ensure the safe movement of passengers and goods throughout our nation,” FRA Administrator Ronald L. Batory said. “These investments have proven vital during this challenging year and kept essential supplies moving throughout our nation, and these State of Good Repair grants will continue those improvements and enhance passenger rail service to ready the nation for the forthcoming recovery,” Batory added.

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