Crossing grants Guide 06
Build the crossing table for an RCE grant application
An RCE grant application needs crossing evidence that matches the current FRA funding notice and its crossing-table template. Start with crossing IDs and dated sources, then document the proposed work and information the inventory cannot supply.
For grant writers, city engineers and planning organizations.
Start with the FY 2025–2026 notice and template.
FRA publishes the funding notice, a crossing-table template and a blocked-crossing table on its program page. Read the notice together with the templates before deciding which fields your project needs.
The FY 2025–2026 notice set a deadline of 8 June 2026, which has passed. Use this guide to prepare evidence and check FRA's program page for a subsequent notice or amendment.
Sources: FRA: RCE program and application templates; FRA: FY 2025–2026 RCE notice of funding opportunity.
Confirm which organization will apply.
The program lists eligible public applicants, including states, local governments, federally recognized Tribes, public port authorities and metropolitan planning organizations. Confirm the applicant's category in the applicable notice.
Name the project lead and identify who can supply road counts, railroad information, costs and emergency-access evidence. The organization holding a record may differ from the applicant.
Sources: FRA: RCE program and application templates; FRA: FY 2025–2026 RCE notice of funding opportunity.
Reported warning equipment differs across public crossings.
| Warning equipment | Public crossings (Crossings) |
|---|---|
| Gates | 55,319 |
| Flashing lights, no gates | 13,756 |
| Signs only | 52,764 |
| Other or not reported | 4,327 |
Categories describe reported equipment. They do not confirm its condition or establish which upgrade a crossing needs.
Match each table field to its source.
Use one crossing ID consistently across the narrative, map and crossing table. Keep source dates beside values so reviewers can distinguish old traffic counts from recent record updates.
The working checklist below helps assign the evidence. Copy the current FRA template's exact columns into the application rather than treating this checklist as a replacement.
| Information | Where to check it |
|---|---|
| Crossing ID and location | FRA inventory; confirm coordinates to the precision required by the notice. |
| Proposed improvement | The project scope and drawings. |
| Rail operators and railroad owner | Confirm with the railroad; the reporting railroad is not proof of every operator or owner. |
| Road and train activity | Dated counts for the required reporting period. |
| Incident history | FRA reports for the required period. |
| Access and blockage evidence | Independent observations and the application requirements. |
Document blocked crossings independently.
Use the current application instructions for blockage evidence. Record the observation period, method, location, waits and effects on access, and identify the organization that collected them.
FRA's public portal submissions are unverified and its collection is unsuitable for budgetary requests or regulatory proposals. Do not turn portal counts into measured delay hours or present them as the sole basis of a funding request.
Sources: FRA: FY 2025–2026 RCE notice of funding opportunity; FRA blocked-crossing data and limitations.
Check the rural set-aside against the notice.
The FY 2025–2026 notice reserves at least 20% of the available funds for projects in rural areas or on Tribal lands. Check its definitions and required evidence before describing a location as eligible for that allocation.
A rural postal address or a small city population alone should not substitute for the notice's geographic test.
Sources: FRA: FY 2025–2026 RCE notice of funding opportunity.
Resolve the gaps before submitting.
Check for duplicate IDs, outdated road counts, unreported equipment and inconsistent project boundaries. Distinguish a planned improvement from work already installed.
A change in the inventory is not a construction receipt. Use project documents for dates, costs and funding attribution, and preserve each source in the selected packet.
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