The

Texas Transportation Commission

on Feb. 26 awarded $160.4 million in grants for five grade separation projects in the Amarillo, Houston, Laredo and San Antonio areas.

The projects — which include separations of grade crossings along BNSF Railway, CPKC and Union Pacific Railroad lines — received the grants through a new state rail fund specifically set up to provide relief from blocked rail crossings to motorists, as well as to ensure safer highways, according to a

Texas Rail Advocates

' (TRA) newsletter.

The funding program also was established to address grade crossings that are not part of the

Texas Department of Transportation

's highway grid, but are heavily congested or have been the scene of accidents in the past, the newsletter reported.

TxDOT Rail Division Director Don Franks recently made a presentation about the projects before the commission in Austin, with the balance of funds from the new $250 million state grant program held in reserve to be announced for future projects, TRA officials said.

The largest award, for $58 million, will go toward a CPKC grade separation and safety enhancement project at Santa Maria Boulevard in Laredo.

The other grants were awarded for the following grade separations:

• $40 million for the Griggs-Long-Mykawa project in Harris County, which is associated with the TxDOT's larger State Highway 35 improvement project;

• $36.7 million for the BNSF crossing at South Georgia Street south of West Sundown Lane in Randall County;

• $20.3 million for the BNSF crossing at northeast 24th Avenue in Potter County; and

• $5 million for a San Antonio UP crossing at Zarzamora Street and Frio City Road in Bexar County.

The Texas Transportation Commission is a five-member board that governs TxDOT.

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