Duffy: DOT Obligates $42M for Brightline Safety

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Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy says the U.S. Department of Transportation is obligating $42 million in previously announced grants to Florida’s Brightline rail to fund fencing, grade-crossing upgrades and trespassing mitigation, and accused the Biden‑Buttigieg administration of leaving an "unprecedented backlog" of over 3,200 announced but unobligated grants. DOT provided a breakdown of the Brightline awards ($24.9M; $15.4M; $1.6M; $150K) and said the oldest grant was first announced in 2022; a Buttigieg spokesman dismissed the criticism as nonsense.

Politics Transportation Public Safety

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Duffy torches Buttigieg-Biden for rail safety ‘backlog,’ says safety funds sat idle for years

Fox News September 23, 2025

New information:

DOT is obligating $42 million in grants for Brightline rail safety projects.
Grant breakdown: $24.9M (trespassing/intrusion mitigation), $15.4M (Broward sealed corridor), $1.6M (trespassing ID/classification), $150K (Palm Beach County overtime enforcement).
DOT alleges it inherited a backlog of over 3,200 grants that had been announced but not obligated, delaying safety investments; oldest Brightline grant dates to 2022.