Today, U.S. Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02), the top Democrat on the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee, announced the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) awarded $66.4 million to the City of Blaine to build an overpass at the Bell Road rail crossing, and $2.3 million to the City of Mount Vernon to examine potential upgrades to eight rail crossings.
“$66 million is a massive win for Blaine that will make Bell Road safer and less congested while creating jobs,” said Rep. Larsen. “Mount Vernon is at the start of the planning process to identify which crossings to improve, and I will continue to work with local leaders to fight for many more projects in the future. Thank you Department of Transportation Secretary Duffy for recognizing the importance of these investments in rail safety for the communities I represent.”
The grants were awarded under FRA’s Railroad Crossing Elimination (RCE) Grant Program, the first-ever dedicated federal grant initiative to help communities eliminate highway-rail grade-level crossings to reduce train-vehicle collisions and blocked rail crossings, and improve the movement of people and goods. RCE was established in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), which Rep. Larsen helped pass in 2021.
“This $66 million federal investment is a major milestone for Blaine and a tremendous investment in the safety and future of our community,” said Mary Lou Steward, Mayor of Blaine. “The Bell Road overpass will eliminate train-related delays at this crossing, make daily travel safer and more reliable, and help ensure first responders can reach people when every second counts. We are grateful to our federal partners, BNSF, David Evans and Associates, City staff, and everyone who has worked to advance this long-awaited project. This investment will strengthen connections across our region and benefit our residents and businesses for generations to come.”
“Mount Vernon residents spend a significant amount of their daily commute waiting at railroad crossings,” said Peter Donovan, Mayor of Mount Vernon. “These crossings also impact first responders, public transit, school transportation, and commerce in general. Investments like this lay the groundwork for future improvements that will drastically improve our residents’ quality of life and economic vitality. When small cities like Mount Vernon obtain federal dollars like this, it has everything to do with the efforts of our hard-working federal delegation. We are once again deeply appreciative of Representative Rick Larsen’s advocacy and insistence that local infrastructure remain at the forefront of our national transportation conversation and strategy.”
In total, Washington state received nearly $105 million in RCE grants. Other awards in Washington include $26 million for the Port of Longview to construct a grade-separated overpass $8.9 million for the Port of Pend Oreille for safety improvements at multiple grade-crossings, and $800,000 for the City of Ellensburg and $480,000 for the City of Kennewick for highway-rail grade crossing planning projects.
Larsen Champions Rail Safety
Rep. Larsen has long been focused on improving rail safety in Northwest Washington and across the country. In 2023, he helped secure a $9.5 million grant for the City of Blaine to improve safety and accessibility and reduce congestion at the Bell Road rail crossing. In 2025, he helped the City of Everett secure an $18 million grant from FRA to eliminate two at-grade railroad crossings that pose significant risks to public safety through the construction of an overpass and new integrated roundabout near the Smith Island railroad terminal in Everett.
Rep. Larsen helped pass the BIL, which made $102 billion available for rail improvement projects. Rep. Larsen’s BUILD America 250 Act, which continues the investments made by BIL, provides nearly $83 billion in highway and multimodal funding to local communities.
