Boise wins $503,125 IFAC grant to plan restored intercity passenger rail

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Build America Bureau awarded Boise a $503,125 Innovative Finance and Asset Concession (IFAC) planning grant aimed at advancing “restored intercity passenger rail” in Idaho—and, locally, examining opportunities surrounding the historic Boise Depot and other station-area investments.

Local reporting on the award was published June 25, 2026.

What Boise’s $503,125 IFAC grant will pay for

Boise will use the money to develop a comprehensive funding and financing strategy for future passenger rail opportunities. The grant scope also includes examining opportunities around the Boise Depot and other station-area investments.

For residents, the key point is that this is planning and analysis—not an announcement that passenger rail service is already funded or scheduled for construction.

What IFAC is (and what the program is designed to do)

IFAC was established by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) in 2021. The program authorizes funding to help public entities facilitate and evaluate public-private partnership opportunities and explore innovative financing and alternative delivery for Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) eligible projects.

On the Build America Bureau’s IFAC website, the program explains that it supports two broad grant types: technical assistance to build organizational capacity (including identifying underutilized assets), and expert services to procure professionals connected to developing specific assets.

Why the Boise Depot area matters in this early-stage work

The Boise Depot and the surrounding station area have long been central to local discussions about passenger rail. In this grant description, the “station-area investments” component suggests the city’s planning work may examine how station-area priorities and potential rail-related opportunities could align—before any operating plan or construction commitment is finalized.

Mayor Lauren McLean praises the grant

In a statement reported by the Idaho Statesman, Boise Mayor Lauren McLean lauded the IFAC award, saying Boiseans have made clear they want passenger rail “to get around the Treasure Valley and across the West,” and that the grant helps the city move “one step closer” to that goal.

What to watch next

If passenger rail planning moves forward from this point, residents may want to watch for what happens after the grant: whether Boise hires consultants or partners to carry out the funding/financing strategy and what specific station-area investment opportunities the city identifies around the Boise Depot.

Sources

• U.S. DOT Build America Bureau — Innovative Finance and Asset Concession (IFAC) Program Overview
• Idaho Statesman — Boise wins federal grant to study passenger rail (reported June 25, 2026)