ASLRRA Executive Board Member Kristin Bevil Testifies on Federal Rail Assistance before Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee
Written by Jennifer McLawhorn, Managing Editor
ASLRRA
WASHINGTON, D.C. - General Counsel and Chief Legal Officer for Pinsly Railroad and Executive Board Member of ASLRRA Kristin Bevil testifies on May 6, 2025 before the House of Representatives committee on Transportation and Infrastructure's Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials.
According to the release, Bevil testifies to the “transformative impact” that the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements program, or CRISI, has on railroads and its customers. CRISI uses private funds for projects and “delivers six core benefits.” These six benefits include addressing infrastructure needs, improving safety, creating and sustaining jobs, enhancing outcomes for the environment, promoting the development of rural areas, and improving customer service. To date, the program has awarded more than $2.7 billion in funds for infrastructure improvements. The Pinsly Railroad Company has received four CRISI grants in previous cycles. As of reporting, Congress is considering a reauthorization of the Surface Transportation Bill.
Bevil says, “Our industry is one of entrepreneurial grit. Short lines routinely reinvest up to a third of their revenues into infrastructure maintenance and upgrades – far more than most other industries. As an example, Pinsly Railroad has invested over $25 million annually into our infrastructure for routine maintenance – and that does not include major infrastructure projects, many of which could not be accomplished with regular annual revenue. This is where the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) program, a vital federal rail grant program, becomes essential.”
Bevil emphasizes the importance of CRISI, stating that the program “has proven to be powerful, effective, and broadly supported on a bipartisan basis. However, as demonstrated by the experience of the Pinsly Railroad, there are clear opportunities to improve the grant process. Delays between award announcements and actual construction, as well as obstacles to making necessary project adjustments as conditions evolve, significant reduce the effectiveness of CRISI funding – not just for railroads like ours, but for the shippers and communities that rely on us.”
The testimony also notes other programs that provide short lines with assistance including Operation Lifesaver, Section 130, and the Rail Crossing Elimination Program, or RCE. Others from the rail industry gave testimony, including Ohio Rail Development Commission Executive Director Matthew Dietrich; Honorable Garrett Eucalitto, Commissioner, Connecticut Department of Transportation on the behalf of American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials and; TranSystems Senior Vice President Kevin Hicks on the behalf of the National Railroad Construction and Maintenance Association.
