Maryland Congressional Delegation Announces $800,000 to Improve Railroad Safety

Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and U.S. Congressmen Steny H. Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, Kweisi Mfume, Jamie Raskin, David Trone, and Glenn Ivey (all D-Md.) announced $800,000 in federal funding to improve safety on railroads and at train crossings across the state.

This investment will allow the Maryland Department of Transportation to perform an assessment of incidents on active railways across the state and develop a program designed to reduce injuries and fatalities associated with trespassing on railroad property. Together, these investments will increase the overall safety of the state’s train transit system.

“Improving rail safety can both save lives and reduce costly, time consuming delays that impact travelers and commuters. With this funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, Maryland will have the tools to do just that. These federal dollars will help our state increase rail safety, prevent tragic incidents, and improve rail service for all,” said the lawmakers.

"Saving lives is MDOT’s top priority and these funds will enable the Department to prioritize high-impact safety projects at highway crossings with railroads and local governments," said Maryland Transportation Secretary Paul J. Wiedefeld. "We appreciate the continued leadership of Team Maryland in securing this critical funding to further enhance safety in Maryland."

The funds are provided through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) Program, which the lawmakers fought to fund at $5 billion over five years under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.