The bill would amend the Transportation Code to require the Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to establish and administer a program to award grants to Texas political subdivisions or railroad companies to fund rail-roadway grade separation projects at rail-roadway intersections that are not part of the state highway system and rail-pedestrian grade separation projects. The bill would stipulate that TxDOT may fund the grant program only from money appropriated by the legislature for that purpose and from gifts and grants. The bill would require the Texas Transportation Commission to adopt rules to implement the grant program.
The bill would take effect immediately upon receiving a vote of two-thirds of all members elected to each house or, otherwise, on September 1, 2025.
Based on information provided by TxDOT, it is assumed any costs or duties associated with administering the grant program could be absorbed within existing resources. Because the amount and timing of legislative appropriations and amounts of gifts and grants that would be received by TxDOT to fund rail-roadway grade separation grant awards is unknown, the fiscal impact to the State cannot be determined.
The fiscal implications of the bill cannot be determined at this time.