OLYMPIA – Approximately $230 million in newly awarded state and federal grants will help more than 80 public-transportation agencies provide better connectivity, sustained service, new buses and other mobility improvements to people in every county of Washington state.

Once the Legislature passed the 2017–2019 budget, the Washington State Department of Transportation notified the grant recipients that they could begin utilizing their funds. These grant awards allow public-transportation providers to improve services to people with special needs, seniors, veterans and the general public in their communities.

“It is so important that all citizens have the opportunity to remain active and connect with their communities. No matter their age, income or physical ability, access to reliable transportation makes that possible,” said WSDOT Public Transportation Division Director Brian Lagerberg. “These grants give local providers the ability to serve the people who need transportation options the most.”

A wide range of transportation providers received funding for a variety of projects and services. Some of the grant recipients from around the state:

• San Juan County: $120,000 to offer transportation vouchers for people with special needs.
• Central Transit: $464,529 to expand services to the general public in Ellensburg.
• Grays Harbor Transit: $2,085,120 to replace some of its fleet of 35-foot-long buses.
• Lummi Nation: $586,945 to sustain transit operations between the Lummi reservation and Ferndale.
• People for People: $2,509,918 to sustain services for persons with special needs and the general public in rural communities in Yakima County.
• Intercity Transit: $885,000 to replace 40 vanpool vehicles.
• King County Metro: $1,626,587 to increase service between Renton and Seattle.
• Spokane Transit: $3,925,000 for high-performance transit improvements and park and ride construction.

WSDOT’s Public Transportation Division administers state and federal grant awards for transit agencies and other service providers across the state. These grants improve public transportation within and between rural communities, provide transportation services between cities, purchase new buses and other equipment, and provide public-transportation services for the elderly and persons with disabilities.