Tag: US Department of Transportation

Railroad Grade Crossing Safety Improvement Funding Available

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by LICA-National

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) last week opened a $1.1 billion funding round to improve safety at railroad grade crossings. Funding under the Crossing Safety Program comes from the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to address over 2,000 collisions and nearly 300 fatalities yearly since 2021. Eligible projects include installing or improving signs, signals or protective devices; relocating tracks; and creating road separation by adding tunnels, bridges or embankments.


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DOT Continues to Clarify DBE Program Requirements

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by LICA-National

The U.S. Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) Dec. 1 provided further guidance on the implementation of the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) program to clarify issues raised in its Interim Final Rule (IFR) which governs the program’s implementation until final rules are issued. This is US DOT’s second set of clarifications.


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US DOT Agrees DBE Program Implementation Unconstitutional

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by LICA-National

The US Department of Transportation (US DOT) said in a court filing this week it has agreed to end consideration of race or gender in DOT’s Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Program (DBE) program when awarding billions of dollars in federal highway and transit projects. USDOT agreed with plaintiffs in the suit that the DBE “program’s use of race- and sex-based presumptions in awarding contracts is unconstitutional." USDOT previously defended the policy as seeking to remedy past discrimination but said it has since reevaluated its position in light of factors including a 2023 Supreme Court decision.


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