In December, President Obama signed into law the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act, informally known as the FAST Act. It’s the first federal law in more than a decade that provides long-term funding for surface transportation, including rail. It authorizes $305 billion for the US Department of Transportation’s highway; highway and motor vehicle safety; public transportation; motor carrier safety; hazardous materials safety’ rail’ and research, technology and statistics programs, with funds to be spent throughout fiscal years 2016-2020.

The FAST Act clears the way for state and local governments nationwide to move forward with critical transportation projects including new highways and transit lines. And for the first time ever, the law brings passenger rail into the larger surface transportation authorization. Among the key factors for rail included in the bill are annual allowances for Amtrak, starting at $1.45 billion in 2016 and rising to $1.8 billion in 2020; $1.1 billion for the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements grant program which includes implementation of positive train control systems, among other initiatives; and $997 million for the Federal-State Partnership for State of Good Repair, a grant program aimed at improving critical rail assets that currently are in disrepair due to a backlog of deferred maintenance.

“Usually rail is treated separately when it comes to surface transportation so this is huge for us at FRA,” said Federal Railroad Administrator Sarah Feinberg in a recent address to the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Legislative Panel. “It’s really important for us to put rail on the same footing as other modes of transportation. Congress rightfully recognized that rail plays a significant role, and will continue to play a significant role, in our transportation system.”

Among the FAST Act provisions that may affect rail are:

• Reducing bureaucratic red tape to allow for quicker movement of crucial transportation projects while adequately protecting environmental and historic sites;
• Establishing formula and discretionary grant programs to fund critical transportation projects that would benefit freight movements;
• Establishing a new National Surface Transportation and Innovative Finance Bureau within the DOT that will serve as a one-stop shop for state and local governments to secure federal funding, financing or technical assistance;
• Strengthening of the Buy America requirements that promote domestic manufacturing through vehicle and track purchases;
• Making Transit Oriented Development (TOD) expenses eligible for funding under highway and rail credit programs. TOD promotes dense commercial and residential development near transit hubs to boost transit ridership and promote walkable, sustainable land use.

“After hundreds of Congressional meetings, two bus tours, visits to 43 states, and so much uncertainty – and 36 short term extensions – it has been a long and bumpy ride to a long-term transportation bill,” said US Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx. “It’s not perfect, and there is still more left to do, but it reflects a bipartisan compromise I always knew was possible.”

We here at Rail Justice hope that the FAST Act will help improve safety for railway workers and passengers. If you or someone you love suffer an injury or loss caused by a rail-related safety issue, contact us at 888-519-RAIL.