2012 Discretionary Grant Programs
This notice contains collection-of-information requirements subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act. The use of Standard Forms 424, 424A, 424B, 424C, 424 D, and SF-LLL has been approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under the respective control numbers 0348-0043, 0348-0044, 0348-0040, 0348-0041, 0348-0042, and 0348-0046. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no person is required to respond to, nor shall any person be subject to a penalty for failure to comply with, a collection of information subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act, unless that collection displays a currently valid OMB control number. Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 20 hours per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send Comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden to: Information Collection Clearance Officer, Federal Highway Administration, 1200 New Jersey Ave, SE, Washington, DC 20590.
Rail Highway Crossing Hazard Elimination In High Speed Rail Corridors - Application Submission
Download a Word version of this application: rhchehsrc2012appl.docx, 26 KB
Submission Requirements
Applicants shall submit an electronic copy of the application which will include the relevant SF-424 forms, optional supporting documentation (as outlined in the Submission Requirements section), and a Project Narrative Statement (described in detail below) via email to the appropriate FHWA Division Office. Applicants shall also submit an electronic copy of the application to the Federal Railroad Administration's Office of Railroad Policy and Development, attention: Randall Brown at 202-493-6370, Randall.Brown@dot.gov. The official application of record will be the document submitted to the FHWA Division Office.
Project Narrative
The following points describe the minimum content which will be required in the Project Narrative element of the application. If an application does not address each of these requirements to FHWA's / FRA's satisfaction, the application may be considered incomplete and removed from consideration for award. The Project Narrative should not exceed 15 pages.
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Applicant Name – Indicate the name of the State applying for funding.
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Project Title – Provide a clear, concise, and descriptive project name. Use identifiers such as State abbreviation, city/county name, and the crossing where the project is located, as well as the nature of the proposed project (e.g. "MD – Capital City – First Street Crossing Closure").
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Project Cost – Specify the Federal funding request, proposed non-Federal match, and total cost of the project. This information must match the SF-424 documents.
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Background – Briefly describe the events that led to the development of this project and the issue the project will address. Also provide a description of the role of high-speed rail as a component of the State's transportation system, including:
- The State's high-speed rail service objectives for the Federally-designed HSR Corridor on which the proposed project is located;
- The type of service currently in operation and that which is envisioned (e.g. number of daily round trips, speed, trip times, locations served, etc); and
- The State's long-range investment program for current and future high-speed rail infrastructure, including a list of rail capital projects expected to be undertaken or supported by the State to develop the HSR Corridor.
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Project Location & Supporting Data – Specify the location and characteristics of the proposed project (if the proposed project involves multiple crossings, the following information must be provided for each crossing):
- Congressional Information – U.S. Congressional District in which the project is located (i.e. not the Congressional District of the State capital) and the corresponding Members of Congress (one Representative per district and two Senators);
- Locality – City/town, county, and cross streets;
- Federally-Designated High-Speed Rail Corridor – Projects must be located along one of the eleven Federally-designated HSR corridors;
- Right-of-Way Owner – Railroad right-of-way owner / host railroad, railroad milepost number, DOT crossing inventory number, and longitude and latitude coordinates;
- Crossing Characteristics – Number of railroad tracks, number of roadway traffic lanes, existing traffic control devices, average annual daily traffic (and year calculated), volume of truck traffic, and the history of train-vehicle accidents at the crossing (including fatalities);
- Rail Service Characteristics – Existing and planned rail services within the project boundaries (freight, commuter, and intercity passenger rail service), name of the corresponding service operators, existing and planned top operating speeds, and average number of daily one-way train operations (i.e. one daily round trip should be counted as two daily one-way operations); and
- Areas of significant concern – Schools, hospitals, first responders, or other emergency services providers.
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Scope of Activities – Clearly describe the scope of work to be accomplished and identify the general objectives of the proposed project, including:
- General Objective – Provide a general description of the work to be accomplished through this grant, including project work effort and other parties involved. Describe the end-state of the project, how it will address the need identified in Background (above), and the outcomes that will be achieved as a result of the project; and
- Description of Work – Provide a detailed description of the work to be accomplished through this grant by task (e.g. discreet design and construction elements). Address the work in a logical sequence that would lead to the anticipated outcomes and the end state of the activities.
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Response to Evaluation Criteria – Describe how the proposed project addresses the evaluation criteria (see corresponding Selection Criteria / Additional Information webpage).