Explanation
1. BACKGROUND
The United States Department of Transportation’s (USDOT’s) Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) was accepting grant applications for its Railroad Crossing Elimination (Crossing Safety) Program. The Notice of Funding Opportunity was published April 24, 2026, and it is a combined opportunity for FY 2025 and FY 2026. A combined $1,146,528,000 can be awarded as part of this funding opportunity. Applications for the Crossing Safety Program were accepted through June 8, 2026.
The Crossing Safety Program intends to fund highway-rail or pathway-rail grade crossing improvement projects, including but not limited to elimination projects, that improve safety and mobility of people and goods. Such projects will improve American rail infrastructure to enhance rail safety, improve health and safety of communities, eliminate highway-rail and pathway rail grade crossings that are frequently blocked by trains, or reduce the impacts that freight movement and railroad operations may have on underserved communities.
The City meets the criteria to be eligible to submit a Crossing Safety application to FRA. The Department of Public Service (DPS) has identified a project candidate on Columbus’ far west side. This project would create a new, separated crossing by extending Galloway Road to Hilliard-Rome Road and close the existing at-grade rail crossing (DOT #513244C) on Hilliard Rome Road. The existing at-grade crossing is owned by Norfolk Southern Railway Company. The total project cost is estimated to be approximately $42,055,134; and the Ohio Rail Development Commission (ORDC) has committed up to $3,860,000 towards the project from Governor DeWine’s Ohio Grade Crossing Elimination Program. In addition to providing a significant portion of the required local match, ORDC has offered to partner with the City of Columbus on this application.
This legislation will authorize the Director of Public Service to partner with ORDC to formally apply for a Cr...
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