Colorado awarded $44M federal grant for mountain rail safety

Colorado has been awarded a $44 million grant from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) to enhance rail safety within the state’s mountain corridors. This federal funding will be paired with $11 million from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to support the Colorado Department of Transportation’s (CDOT) $55 million Safe, Agile, Fast, and Efficient Rail Travel (SAFER Travel) project.

The initiative targets safety risks posed by remote terrain, rockfalls, and multiple crossings. Key components of the project include installing rockfall barriers, specialized fencing, and stabilization measures in Byers Canyon. Additionally, the funds will be used to purchase and equip six mobile hazardous material and emergency response caches in locations including East Portal, Winter Park, Hot Sulphur Springs, Steamboat Springs, Dotsero, and Parachute to assist first responders in remote areas.

Furthermore, the project will conduct safety analyses at seven railroad crossings and advance improvements at two priority crossings in Grand County.