HOUSTON – Houston will get nearly $37 million from the federal government to get rid of railroad crossings, which is the largest allocation awarded across the state of Texas.
Mayor Sylvester Turner made the announcement alongside city, county, and federal leaders Wednesday at a press conference in East Downtown.
The Biden administration awarded a total of $570 million in grants to get rid of railroad crossings in 32 states using money from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
In Houston, the money will help create underpasses at the intersections of North Sampson Street and North York Street, as well as Hutchins Street and Commerce Street.
As part of the entire project, four at-grade crossings will be closed, and seven at-grade roadway-rail crossings will be eliminated, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. The crossings getting upgraded have had more than 850 reports of train blockages so far this year.
“The new underpasses will mean there’s no possibility of collisions between trains and vehicles and no waiting times for a train to pass. That means safer travel for drivers lots of time back in people’s daily lives, faster response time for emergency responders, and a higher quality of life,” Federal Railroad Administrator Amit Bose said during the news conference on Wednesday. “Houston is much too familiar with disruptions and delays at highway rail crossings and unfortunately, incidents of grade crossings and reports of blocked crossings remain far too common, not just here but across the nation.”
According to the DOT, the City estimated “decreased vehicle idling at crossings will improve air quality and save people an estimated $12.7 million in lost fuel.”
The total cost of the project, according to a city presentation, is more than $123 million. The federal grant announced Wednesday will close the funding gap.
“This project is crucial to the City of Houston and the community. The City and its partners are ready to move forward expeditiously if awarded funding through this Program to ensure full project initiation and construction are timely,” the public works department wrote in the grant application.
A spokesperson for the department told KPRC 2 work isn’t expected to start until late 2025.
Turner was joined by Dr. Carol Abel Lewis, Gulf Coast Rail District Board, Councilmember Karla Cisneros, District H, Councilmember Robert Gallegos, District I, and Commissioner Adrian Garcia, Harris County Precinct 2, among others.