Counties and Railroads: Shared Priorities for the Next Surface Transportation Bill
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This post is sponsored by our partners at GoRail
As members of Congress draft the next surface transportation reauthorization bill, county leaders across the country have a vital opportunity to ensure their infrastructure priorities are front and center. Encouragingly, in many key areas, county needs align closely with the priorities of freight rail—a mode that plays a quiet but powerful role in supporting local economies and reducing infrastructure burdens.
Freight rail moves roughly 40% of U.S. long-distance freight volume but accounts for just 2% of transportation-related greenhouse gas emissions. One train can carry the load of several hundred trucks, easing congestion, reducing wear on county roads and bridges, and helping local governments stretch their infrastructure budgets further.
Counties are central players in America’s infrastructure system. They maintain 44% of public roads, 38% of bridges, and invest over $146 billion annually in infrastructure and public works. That’s why over 800 local and state leaders—including hundreds of county officials—recently signed a letter to Congress urging strong support for freight rail in the next surface transportation bill.
There are several areas where freight rail priorities align closely with the National Association of Counties’ (NACo) transportation reauthorization goals:
Oppose Increases to Truck Sizes and Weights
Research shows that while user fees from trucks at the current 80,000-pound federal weight limit cover about 80% of the damage they cause to roads, that figure drops to just 55% if the weight limit is increased to 91,000 pounds. Increasing truck size and weight limits would further strain public infrastructure, when freight rail is already equipped to handle these volumes on infrastructure that is privately funded. Without commensurate federal funding, this would be an unfunded mandate on counties and other local governments, something both NACo and the freight rail sector strongly oppose.
Preserving Discretionary Grant Programs
NACo has emphasized the importance of continued investment in competitive infrastructure grants, which provide counties with direct access to federal funding for crucial, locally led projects. Programs like CRISI and the Railroad Crossing Elimination Grant Program are key examples. They help counties and railroads collaborate on local safety and mobility improvements, such as grade separation projects that benefit both freight movement and community access and safety.
Prioritizing Safety Across All Modes
Counties and railroads agree that safety must be a key priority in the next surface transportation reauthorization bill. Freight rail is already the safest mode for ground freight, but Congress can take additional steps in the next bill to improve safety even further. This includes retaining funding for safety-focused programs like the Railroad Crossing Elimination Grant Program and enabling the use of technologies that build on existing safety practices to keep communities safe.
Advanced Permitting Reform
Both counties and railroads face permitting challenges that delay critical projects. NACo advocates for reforms that streamline project delivery while ensuring local voices remain part of the process. Freight rail echoes this call, especially in cases where outdated review requirements create bottlenecks. Smarter, more efficient permitting would allow counties and railroads alike to deliver safer, modern infrastructure faster—whether it's a grade separation, a bridge replacement, or a yard upgrade that benefits local commerce.
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As Congress shapes this once-in-a-decade legislation, GoRail encourages county leaders to continue advocating for policies that reflect local needs—protecting our roads and bridges, modernized permitting, safety, and multimodal investment.
Supporting shared priorities in the surface transportation bill is one way to ensure that counties have the tools they need to serve their communities and keep residents safe, both now and in the future.
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