Clovis approves $100,000 for proposed rail-crossing project planning

The Clovis City Commission approved a $100,000 Capital Outlay contribution on July 9 to advance engineering and construction planning for a proposed rail-corridor improvement project.

The action moves the project into another planning phase, but it does not authorize construction or guarantee that the full project will be funded.

What the proposed project includes

City and federal project records describe a proposed $81.5 million request for final design and construction involving the BNSF Railway corridor in Clovis.

The scope includes improvements at the Norris Street railroad crossing and a proposed grade-separated bridge at Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. A grade-separated crossing would carry traffic over or under the rail line rather than requiring vehicles to cross the tracks at the same level.

The Federal Railroad Administration project agreement identifies improved crossing safety, fewer delays from blocked crossings and stronger freight reliability as intended project benefits. The records do not show that either the Norris Street work or the MLK Boulevard bridge has been completed.

How the funding stands

The $100,000 approved by Clovis is a local contribution from the city’s Capital Outlay fund. It supports additional planning and engineering work rather than the full construction cost.

The larger $81.5 million figure is a proposed total project request for final design and construction. It should not be read as an adopted city expenditure, a guaranteed project cost or a completed funding package.

The project also has earlier federal project-development support. A congressional announcement identified a $570,920 award for development of the Clovis Corridor Improvement Project, along with related rail-crossing work. That award provides planning support and context for the project, but it is separate from the proposed $81.5 million design-and-construction request.

What happens next

Additional grant funding and approvals are still needed before construction could proceed. The available records do not establish a final construction contract, a construction start date or a completed funding plan.

For residents, commuters and businesses near Norris Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, the next meaningful developments will involve grant decisions, final design approvals, right-of-way actions, traffic planning and construction notices.

Until those steps are completed, the July 9 action represents a commitment to keep developing the project—not a decision that construction is ready to begin.

Sources

• Clovis City Commission July 9, 2026 agenda packet
• Senator Heinrich rail-crossing funding announcement