Rail Industrial Access (RIA) Program

The Rail Industrial Access (RIA) Program, administered by the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT), is a state-funded initiative designed to connect new or significantly expanding industrial and commercial businesses to Virginia’s freight rail network. The program supports economic development and encourages the diversion of freight traffic from road to rail to reduce congestion, improve safety, and enhance air quality throughout the Commonwealth. Eligible applicants for the RIA program include business, commercial, and industrial enterprises, as well as municipal and county governments and local economic development departments acting on behalf of such enterprises. Railroads are also eligible. All applicants must be undertaking a project that creates a tangible link to the freight rail system in Virginia. To qualify, the project must result in infrastructure directly associated with revenue rail carloads and meet specific construction criteria. A local resolution of support and justification for funding must be submitted alongside the application. The program provides funding of up to $750,000 per project. A 30% match from the applicant is required, and funds may be used for engineering, site preparation (grading and drainage), track construction, rehabilitation, improvement, environmental mitigation, and installation of a mainline railroad switch. Certain costs are explicitly ineligible, including utility relocation, right-of-way acquisition, operations, maintenance, and the use of rail less than 115 pounds per yard unless pre-approved. Work begun prior to formal allocation and notice to proceed is also ineligible unless authorized through a Letter of No Prejudice. Unlike other DRPT rail grant programs, RIA applications are accepted on a rolling basis throughout the year to accommodate dynamic business needs. Applications are submitted via DRPT’s WebGrants portal. After internal review and scoring based on factors such as job creation, investment, and public benefit, projects are recommended to the Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) for approval and funding allocation. Grantees are reimbursed post-construction through a single claim that includes documentation of total capital investment and job creation. DRPT maintains a six-year contingent interest in the funded infrastructure, with a requirement for grantees to report annual carload data for at least three years post-completion. This ensures the infrastructure remains in active service and delivers the public benefits committed during the application phase. Further details, including templates, eligibility requirements, and agreement terms, are available in the September 2025 version of the DRPT Rail Grant Programs Teal Book.

Ensure project supports new or expanded carload activity; secure required local resolution; submit bids and capital investment/job projections to strengthen scoring.