1). 2). Freight railroads  generally consider this information proprietary, citing concerns over  security and liability, and they selectively share bridge and tunnel  information with the government. Railroads Collect and Maintain Information on the Condition of Their Bridges and Tunnels to Varying Degrees

Class I railroads, which own over 75 percent of U.S. railroad bridges and  over 800 tunnels, maintain detailed information on the condition of their  bridges and tunnels and generally have the resources to invest in a robust  maintenance and inspection regime; however, less is known about the  information Class II and III railroads collect on bridge and tunnel  conditions, according to FRA’s Chief Structural Engineer. Railroad Bridges and Tunnels Are Aging but Are Not Generally the Main Cause of Freight Railroad Congestion, Although Some Are Chokepoints

While railroad bridges and tunnels are aging, their condition is not the  main cause of freight railroad congestion; however, some critical bridges  and tunnels are chokepoints on the freight railroad network. Federal Railroad Bridge and Tunnel Safety Efforts Are Limited Because FRA Has Determined That Railroads Are Sufficiently Ensuring Structural Stability

Historically, the federal role in railroad bridge and tunnel safety has been  narrow. In observing bridge conditions, FRA bridge specialists use FRA advisory  guidelines for railroad bridge management programs. In contrast, some states structure their investments  in freight railroad infrastructure to produce public benefits at the state and  local levels, and some public-private partnerships have facilitated  investments designed to produce public and private benefits. Examining Critical Questions and Implementing a Framework That Identifies Goals, Stakeholder Roles, Revenue Sources, and Funding Mechanisms Could Guide a Federal Role in Freight- Related Infrastructure Investments

As noted earlier in this report, the federal government lacks a strategic  freight transportation plan to guide its involvement in freight-related  capital infrastructure investments. Different funding mechanisms  and revenue sources could also be used to implement any future federal  role in freight infrastructure investments. Recommendations for Executive Action

To enhance the effectiveness of its bridge and tunnel safety  oversight function, we recommend that the Secretary of  Transportation direct the Administrator of the Federal Railroad  Administration to devise a systematic, consistent, risk-based  methodology for selecting railroads for its bridge safety surveys to  ensure that it includes railroads that are at higher risk of not  following the FRA’s bridge safety guidelines and of having bridge  and tunnel safety issues. To help better focus limited federal resources, we recommend that  the Secretary of Transportation ensure that its draft Framework for  a National Freight Policy :  includes clear national goals for federal involvement in freight-    related infrastructure investments across all modes, including  freight railroad investments;  establishes and clearly defines roles for all public and private  stakeholders; and  identifies funding mechanisms for federal freight-related  infrastructure investments, including freight railroad  investments, which provide the highest return in national public  benefits for limited federal expenditures. To identify the federal role in overseeing railroad bridge and tunnel safety,  we reviewed public laws and interviewed officials from the public  agencies and railroads listed in table 4. We reviewed Department of Transportation’s (DOT) draft Framework for  a National Freight Policy.
Why GAO Did This Study

Freight railroads account for over 40 percent (by weight) of the nation's freight on a privately owned network that was largely built almost 100 years ago and includes over 76,000 railroad bridges and over 800 tunnels. As requested, GAO provides information on this infrastructure, addressing (1) the information that is available on the condition of railroad bridges and tunnels and on their contribution to railroad congestion, (2) the federal role in overseeing railroad bridge and tunnel safety, (3) the current uses of public funds for railroad infrastructure investments, and (4) criteria and a framework for guiding any future federal role in freight infrastructure investments. GAO reviewed federal bridge safety guidelines and reports, conducted site visits, and interviewed federal, state, railroad, and other officials.

What GAO Found

Little information is publicly available on the condition of railroad bridges and tunnels and on their contribution to congestion because the railroads consider this information proprietary and share it with the federal government selectively. Major (Class I) railroads maintain detailed repair and inspection information, while other (Class II and III) railroads vary, from keeping detailed records, to lacking basic condition information. Despite their age, bridges and tunnels are not the main cause of congestion, although some do constrain capacity. Because bridge and tunnel work is costly, railroads typically make other investments to improve mobility first. The federal role in overseeing the safety of railroad bridges and tunnels is limited because the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has determined that most railroads are sufficiently ensuring safe conditions. FRA has issued bridge management guidelines, makes structural observations, and may take enforcement actions to address structural problems. However, FRA bridge specialists use their own, not a systematic, consistent, risk-based, methodology to select smaller railroads for safety surveys and therefore may not target the greatest safety threats. Federal funds are used to meet many different goals, but are not invested under any comprehensive national freight strategy, nor are the public benefits they generate aligned with any such strategy. Some state investments are structured to produce state and local economic and safety benefits, and public-private partnerships have facilitated investments designed to produce public and private benefits. GAO has identified critical questions that can serve as criteria for reexamining the federal role in freight investments--including railroad bridge and tunnel investments--and a framework for implementing that role that includes identifying national goals, clarifying stakeholder roles, and ensuring that revenue sources and funding mechanisms achieve maximum national public benefits. The Department of Transportation's draft Framework for a National Freight Policy takes a step forward, but more is needed to guide the implementation of a federal role in freight transportation investments.