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HF 2793

A bill for an act relating to a railway tracks overpass and underpass fund, and making appropriations.

2025-2026 Regular Session

HF 2793 creates a state fund to grant dollars to cities and counties for constructing highway overpasses and underpasses across railway tracks to improve safety and traffic.

NOBA: House Floor
#appropriations #highways #overpasses #railroads #underpasses
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Bill Summary · HF 2793

Summary of HF 2793 (Iowa), 2025-2026 Session

Bill at a Glance

  • Short Title: A bill for an act relating to a railway tracks overpass and underpass fund, and making appropriations
  • Bill Number: HF 2793
  • Session: 2025-2026
  • Jurisdiction: Iowa
  • Current Status (as of action history): Introduced and placed on the Appropriations calendar (April 29, 2026)

Purpose and Intent

HF 2793 creates a dedicated funding stream to support the construction of highway overpasses and underpasses across railway tracks. The primary aim is to improve public safety and traffic efficiency by facilitating grade-separated crossings where roads intersect rail lines.

Key Provisions

  1. Creation of the Fund

    • Establishes the Railway Tracks Overpass and Underpass Fund (the fund) in the state treasury.
    • The fund is created under the control of the Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT).

  2. Source of Funds

    • The fund consists of all moneys appropriated to it. It does not specify additional revenue sources beyond appropriations.

  3. Uses of the Fund

    • Moneys in the fund are appropriated to the DOT.
    • The DOT may distribute these moneys as grants to cities and counties to assist with the construction of highway overpasses and underpasses across railway tracks.

  4. Interest and Reversion Provisions

    • Interest or earnings on funds deposited in the fund shall not be credited to the fund (i.e., interest is not added to the fund balance).
    • Unlike most state funds, the money in this fund shall not revert at the close of a fiscal year (it does not revert to the general fund annually).

  5. Administrative Context (Current Law Overview)

    • Under existing law, cities may require railways to build overpasses/underpasses, with DOT approval of specifications and determination of necessity for public safety and convenience.
    • Cities typically bear half of the required maintenance costs; cost allocation between railways can be negotiated.
    • The bill codifies and expands available state support to include grants for these projects, previously supported through local or other mechanisms.

Who Is Affected

  • Cities and Counties: Eligible recipients of grants to fund or partially fund the construction of railway-track overpasses and underpasses.
  • Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT): Receiver and administrator of fund appropriations; responsible for granting decisions and oversight of funded projects.
  • Railway Companies: Potentially affected as construction of overpasses/underpasses may alter maintenance cost responsibilities and crossing specifications.
  • General Public/Transportation System: Expected impact includes improved safety at rail-road crossings and enhanced traffic flow where grade-separated crossings are implemented.

Procedural and Timeline Aspects

  • Creation of the Fund: Establishment of the fund and its governance by DOT.
  • Funding Authority: DOT authorized to distribute grants from the fund to eligible cities and counties.
  • Interest and Reversion: Administrative changes regarding interest handling and year-end fund balance treatment (no crediting of interest to the fund; funds do not revert at fiscal year-end).
  • Legislative Process: The bill has moved to the Appropriations calendar, indicating readiness for committee consideration and potential floor action.

Potential Impacts and Considerations

  • Public Safety and Traffic Efficiency: Targeted improvements at rail crossings can reduce collision risk and improve travel times.
  • Fiscal Impact: The fund relies on appropriations; ongoing funding levels will determine the scale and number of projects pursued.
  • Long-Term Fund Management: The no-reversion provision allows greater planning stability for crossing projects, but requires sustained state appropriations.
  • Administrative Load: DOT will manage grant programs, requiring application processes, eligibility criteria, and project oversight.

If you’d like, I can add a simple checklist of application steps for cities/counties or a comparison with existing rails-crossing funding mechanisms.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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