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The Source for Public Transportation News and Analysis July 27, 2012
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DOT Announces $787 Million for Bus, Infrastructure Projects

DOT Secretary Ray LaHood announced awards totaling $787 million in competitive grants for 255 projects in 48 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico, for “state of good repair” or “livability” grants under Section 5309 of the Bus and Bus Facilities program.

The funding solicitation issued in the Feb. 7, 2012, Federal Register prioritized amounts for the two different purposes.

DOT announced that it selected the recipients from among 836 applications that requested a total of $4 billion.

“President Obama’s support for an America built to last is putting people back to work across the country repairing and upgrading our nation’s public transit systems,” LaHood said. “By investing in the transit infrastructure people depend on to get where we need to go each day, we will keep our economy moving forward well into the future.”

FTA Administrator Peter M. Rogoff added: “For millions of Americans, these investments mean that they may more reliably and safely get to work to earn a paycheck or get to daycare to pick up their children on time, or simply have new choices to enjoy the communities in which they live.”

Examples of the projects selected include:

Maryland DOT: $40 million to replace Baltimore’s 65-year-old Kirk Division Bus Facility with two sustainable “green” buildings that will help reduce operating costs, create local construction jobs in Northeast Baltimore, and enable more than 350 local public transit employees to maintain a growing fleet of new, energy-efficient buses that are now serviced elsewhere.

New Jersey Transit Corporation: $76 million to upgrade its statewide bus fleet, lower commuting times, improve air quality for state residents, and save on fuel by doubling the fleet of fuel-efficient buses. The state also will introduce new hybrid coaches to improve the commute to New York City and institute Bus Rapid Transit service between Camden County and downtown Philadelphia.

Los Angeles Metro: $15 million to replace aging buses with vehicles powered with compressed natural gas.

San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency: $15 million to introduce new 40-foot hybrid buses as replacements for 40-foot diesel buses.

Capital Area Transportation Authority, Lansing, MI: $6.3 million to redevelop a former Amtrak station near Michigan State University into the Capital Area Multi-Modal Gateway Project, which will improve bicycle and pedestrian access and connections to local bus and rail service.

Charlotte Area Transit System, Charlotte, NC: $4 million to replace diesel buses that have met or exceeded their useful lives with new hybrid technology buses that will reduce emissions, save on fuel costs, and reduce long-term maintenance costs.

An interactive map of this year’s projects, along with a searchable table, can be found here.

 

 

Photo by Jon Berle, Maryland Transit Administration

DOT Secretary Ray LaHood, at podium, speaks at the announcement of a $40 million federal grant to upgrade the Kirk Division Bus Facility in Baltimore. Looking on are, from left, Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-MD), Maryland DOT Deputy Secretary Darrell B. Mobley, and Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD).

Participants at a ceremony where San Francisco Bay area public transit agencies received federal funding include, from left, Jeff Gee, board member, San Mateo County Transit District, San Carlos, CA; Verna Patti, representing House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA); Brian Perkins, representing Rep. Jackie Speier (D-CA); Cheryl Brinkman, vice chair, SFMTA Board of Directors; Elsa Ortiz, board president, AC Transit, Oakland, CA; FTA Deputy Administrator Therese McMillan; Jose Luis Moscovich, executive director, San Francisco County Transportation Authority; San Francisco Mayor Edwin Lee; and Ed Reiskin, director of transportation, SFMTA.

 
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