U.S. Transportation Secretary Buttigieg Announces $250 Million in American Rescue Plan Funding Allocations to Advance 22 Transit Projects in 13 States
Federal funding allocations will assist project sponsors with their local funding contributions
WASHINGTON – U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg today announced a total of $250 million in federal funding allocations to help communities across the country protect the jobs of workers involved in constructing transit projects, ensuring the continued advancement of those critical pieces of infrastructure, despite the impacts of COVID-19. Twenty-two transit projects in the Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA) Capital Investment Grants (CIG) program will receive these funds. Funding is provided by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, which was signed into law by President Biden on March 11, 2021. The transit infrastructure projects are located in 13 states: Arizona, California, Florida, Indiana, Minnesota, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, Washington State and Wisconsin.
“Public transit opens new opportunities for people, and delivers environmental and economic benefits to communities,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “We are delighted to provide support for these projects, which will help communities recover from the pandemic and bring public transit to more people in the months and years to come.”
The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 specified that $250 million could be distributed to Small Starts projects in the CIG program that previously received a CIG funding allocation from the FTA or that are in the Project Development phase of the CIG program. These projects represent several modes, including bus rapid transit, streetcar, and light rail. Projects in the Project Development phase are nearing completion of the requirements in law for a construction grant award.
The Act further specified that the funding does not count toward statutory Federal or CIG funding limitations, but rather is meant to assist project sponsors with their local match.
“This funding will help numerous communities across the country continue to protect jobs and advance important transit projects that otherwise might have been canceled or delayed due to the pandemic,” said FTA Administrator Nuria Fernandez. “These federal funding allocations are so important for transit agencies struggling in the wake of COVID-19.”
The CIG Program provides funding for major transit infrastructure capital investments nationwide. Projects accepted into the program must go through a multi-year, multi-step process according to requirements in law to be eligible for consideration to receive program funds.
Small Starts Projects Under Construction Receiving American Rescue Plan Allocations
Tempe, AZ: Tempe Streetcar Project
Valley Metro will receive a $17.4 million allocation of American Rescue Plan funding for the Tempe Streetcar project, a three-mile streetcar with 14 stations and six vehicles that will connect downtown Tempe, Arizona State University, and the emerging employment corridor of Rio Salado Parkway, which connects existing light rail serving Phoenix, Mesa, and Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.
San Francisco, CA: Van Ness Bus Rapid Transit Project
The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) will receive a $21.9 million allocation of America Rescue Plan funding for the Van Ness Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project, a two-mile BRT line that includes nine side-platform stations with low-floor bus boarding and passenger shelters, as well as traffic signal priority, pedestrian improvements, and the purchase of new buses.
Jacksonville, FL: Southwest Bus Rapid Transit Project
The Jacksonville Transit Authority (JTA) will receive a $2.4 million allocation of American Rescue Plan funding for the First Coast Flyer Southwest Corridor Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project, a 12.9-mile BRT line from the Convention Center in downtown Jacksonville, via Florida State College-Jacksonville (Kent Campus), to the Orange Park Mall in Clay County.
Miami, FL: South Corridor Bus Rapid Transit Project
The Miami-Dade County Department of Transportation and Public Works (DTPW) will receive a $29.5 million allocation of American Rescue Plan funding for the South Corridor Rapid Transit project, a 20-mile Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) line that will operate along the existing South Dade busway from the Dadeland South Metrorail Station to SW 344th Street in Florida City.
St. Petersburg, FL: Central Avenue Bus Rapid Transit Project
The Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA) will receive a $3.3 million allocation of American Rescue Plan funding for the Central Avenue “SunRunner” Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project, a 10.3-mile BRT line that will operate from downtown St. Petersburg to St. Pete Beach via the Central Avenue corridor.
Minneapolis, MN: Orange Line Bus Rapid Transit Project
The Metropolitan Council will receive an $11.4 million allocation of American Rescue Plan funding for the Orange Line Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project, a 17-mile, 12-station BRT line that will operate along Interstate 35W, running south from downtown Minneapolis through the suburbs of Richfield, Bloomington, and Burnsville.
Charlotte, NC: LYNX Streetcar Phase II Project
The Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) will receive an $11.1 million allocation of American Rescue Plan funding for the CityLYNX Gold Line Streetcar Phase II project, a 2.5-mile project extension west from the Charlotte Transportation Center to the campus of Johnson C. Smith University and east from the Novant Health Presbyterian Medical Center to the Sunnyside neighborhood.
Portland, OR: Division Transit Bus Rapid Transit Project
The Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon (TriMet) will receive a $13 million allocation of American Rescue Plan funding for the Division Transit BRT project, a 15-mile bus rapid transit line that will operate between Portland’s Central Business District and Gresham.
El Paso, TX: Montana Bus Rapid Transit Project
The City of El Paso will receive a $3.1 million allocation of American Rescue Plan funding for the Montana Rapid Transit Service (RTS) Corridor project, a 16.8-mile bus rapid transit line that will operate along the Montana Avenue Corridor.
Spokane, WA: Central City Bus Rapid Transit Project
The Spokane Transit Authority (STA) will receive a $5.8 million allocation of American Rescue Plan funding for the Central City Line Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project, a 5.8-mile bus rapid transit line that will extend from Browne’s Addition, a residential area and National Register Historic District located west of downtown Spokane, to an eastern terminus at Spokane Community College.
Tacoma, WA: Tacoma Link Extension Project
Sound Transit will receive a $20.7 million allocation of American Rescue Plan funding for the Hilltop Tacoma Link extension, a 2.4-mile light-rail line that will run along Commerce Street and Stadium Way to the Hilltop District in Tacoma, Washington.
Milwaukee, WI: East-West Bus Rapid Transit Project
The Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) will receive a $2.1 million allocation of American Rescue Plan funding for the East-West Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project, a nine-mile East-West bus rapid transit line that will allow MCTS to connect major employment, education and recreation destinations through downtown Milwaukee, Marquette University, Milwaukee’s Near West Side, Wauwatosa and the Milwaukee Regional Medical Center.
Small Starts Projects in Project Development Receiving American Rescue Plan Allocations
San Bernardino, CA: West Valley Connector Bus Rapid Transit Project
The San Bernardino County Transportation Authority will receive a $26.1 million allocation of American Rescue Plan funding for the West Valley Connector BRT project, a 19-mile zero-emission BRT line with 21 stations that will connect the City of Pomona in Los Angeles County with the cities of Montclair, Ontario, and Rancho Cucamonga in San Bernardino County. It will operate as part of Omnitrans’ sbX BRT service.
Indianapolis, IN: Purple Bus Rapid Transit Project
The Indianapolis Public Transportation Corporation (IndyGo) will receive a $12 million allocation of American Rescue Plan funding for the Purple Rapid Transit Line, a 15.2-mile electric vehicle BRT line between downtown Indianapolis and downtown Lawrence.
Raleigh, NC: New Bern Avenue Bus Rapid Transit Project
The Wake Bus Rapid Transit New Bern Avenue Project will receive a $5.4 million allocation of American Rescue Plan funding for the New Bern Avenue BRT Project, a 5.1-mile BRT line that will improve access and mobility along the New Bern Avenue corridor, connecting the Raleigh central business district and communities eastward to North New Hope Road.
Albany, NY: Washington/Western Bus Rapid Transit Project
The Capital District Transit Authority (CDTA) will receive a $2.5 million allocation of American Rescue Plan funding for the Washington/Western BRT project, an 8.5-mile BRT line with 16 stations that extends from the downtown Albany Bus Terminal, through the State University of New York at Albany and the Harriman State Office Complex, to the Crossgates Mall.
Portland, OR: MAX Red Line Extension and Reliability Improvements
The Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon’s (TriMet) will receive a $15.7 million allocation of American Rescue Plan funding for the MAX Red Line Extension and Reliability Improvements project, a 7.8-mile extension of the MAX Red Line from Beaverton Transit Center to Downtown Hillsboro. The project also will increase the reliability of the MAX light rail system between Portland International Airport and Beaverton Transit Center.
Pittsburgh, PA: Downtown-Uptown-Oakland East End Bus Rapid Transit Project
The Port Authority of Allegheny County will receive a $19.3 million allocation of American Rescue Plan funding for the Downtown-Uptown-Oakland-East End Bus Rapid Transit project, a 15-mile bus rapid transit line to be constructed between Downtown Pittsburgh and neighborhoods to the east.
Ogden, UT: Ogden/Weber State University Bus Rapid Transit Project
Utah Transit Authority will receive a $6.3 million allocation of American Rescue Plan funding for the Ogden/Weber State University BRT project, a 5.3-mile bus rapid transit line connecting the Ogden FrontRunner Station, through downtown, through the Weber State University campus to McKay-Dee Hospital.
Everett, WA: Swift Orange Line Bus Rapid Transit Project
Community Transit will receive a $6.5 million allocation of American Rescue Plan funding for the Swift Orange Line BRT project, an 11.3-mile BRT corridor with 13 stations between Edmonds Community College in Lynnwood and the McCollum Park and Ride in Mill Creek. The project connects with two other Swift BRT lines, as well as Sound Transit’s Lynnwood Link Extension light rail project.
Seattle, WA: Madison Street Bus Rapid Transit Project
The City of Seattle Department of Transportation will receive a $10.9 million allocation of American Rescue Plan funding for the Madison Street BRT project, a 2.3-mile east-west BRT line along Madison Street from downtown Seattle to the Madison Valley neighborhood in the east, with connections in First Hill, Capitol Hill, and the Central Area. It will connect people to hospitals, schools, businesses, and other destinations as well as to dozens of bus routes, the First Hill Streetcar, and ferry service at the Colman Dock Ferry Terminal.
Vancouver, WA: Mill Plain Bus Rapid Transit Project
The Clark County Public Transit Benefit Area (C-TRAN) will receive a $3.7 million allocation of American Rescue Plan funding for the Mill Plain BRT project, a 10-mile BRT line that will connect downtown Vancouver and east Vancouver.
