Proposed FY16 budget includes $3.2 billion for transit

Written by Jenifer Nunez, assistant editor

U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx highlighted $3.2 billion recommended in President Obama's Fiscal Year 2016 budget to advance the construction or completion of 25 rail, bus rapid transit (BRT) and streetcar projects in 13 states.

 

Foxx says these projects, competitively funded through the Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA) Capital Investment Grant Program (CIG), would create thousands of construction and operations-related jobs and help communities expand transportation choices that offer new ladders of opportunity for residents.

“President Obama has laid out a bold vision for investing in 21st century transportation infrastructure that provides millions of Americans improved access to employment, education and other vital services, while also supporting the nation’s growing economy,” said Secretary Foxx. “We are committed to ensuring that every American has access to the ladders of opportunity that lead to success – and public transportation is essential to making that happen.”

The president’s budget includes funding recommendations for 11 new transit projects that will connect thousands of residents in cities and communities across the country with jobs and other opportunities.

Rail-related projects include the Mid-Coast Corridor Project in San Diego, Calif., which will extend light-rail service to the northern community of University City, significantly improving access to educational institutions and the Veteran’s Administration Medical Center in north San Diego and connecting residents to existing light-rail service in downtown San Diego.

“FTA is proud to partner with communities across the country to expand transportation options that will better meet the needs of transit riders today and accommodate expected population growth in the years ahead,” said FTA Acting Administrator Therese McMillan. “These investments will help connect residents to jobs and other important opportunities, while also providing a boost to the local economy, spurring new development, revitalizing neighborhoods and offering a much-needed alternative to traffic congestion.”

The recommendations also include ongoing funding for nine transit projects that have already received construction grant agreements from FTA and are under construction. The recommendation for each of these projects includes the scheduled annual payment outlined in the grant agreement, as well as an accelerated payment of an additional $15 million to speed project completion, potentially lower costs and help FTA better manage the growing pipeline of projects. Existing projects are located in Boston, Charlotte, Denver, Honolulu, Los Angeles, Portland, San Francisco and San Jose.

In Denver, two of the Regional Transportation District’s (RTD) FasTracks projects are identified, including $165-million for the Eagle P3 project, which is building the East Rail Line to the airport, the Gold Line to Arvada/Wheat Ridge and the first segment of the Northwest Rail Line to Westminster. It also includes $92 million for the Southeast Rail Extension project that will extend the Southeast Line to Ridge Gate in Lone Tree.

The $165-million is part of the $1.03 billion FTA grant awardedto RTD’s Eagle public-private partnership. The $92-million for the Southeast Extension is among the projects recommended for future FTA New Starts grants.
In Portland, $74.99 million in Small Starts federal funding for extending the Tacoma Link light-rail line was included in the budget. If approved by Congress, the Small Starts grant would provide the single largest funding source for the future expansion of Tacoma Link, alongside funding provided through the Sound Transit 2 ballot measure and required funding that the agency and its partners are working to secure.

Expansion of the 1.6-mile light-rail system between the Tacoma Dome and Theater District stations requires partnership funding before the expansion can be built. The 2.4-mile expansion requires approximately $75 million in Small Starts funding, $50 million in ST2 revenues and $40 million from the city of Tacoma, a key partner in the project. To date, Sound Transit and the city have worked together to secure $13 million in grants for the city’s contribution to the project.

Five additional transit projects that were recommended in previous budgets for funding but have not yet received construction grant agreements are recommended again for FY2016 funding. Those projects are located in Baltimore, Montgomery and Prince George’s counties in Maryland; Fort Worth, Texas and Fresno and San Francisco.

The Fort Worth Transportation Authority’s (The T) commuter rail project, TEX Rail, would allocat $100 million in the president’s proposed budget.

“We are very pleased with the continued recognition by the FTA of the importance of this project and The T’s partnership with that agency to meet the high standards required to be among U.S. rail projects recommended for New Starts funding,” said The T’s President and Chief Executive Officer Paul Ballard.

In addition to the 25 transit projects recommended for funding, the president’s budget proposal includes $320 million for Accelerated Project Delivery and Development—a new category of funding that would provide an opportunity for other projects in the pipeline to move forward if they become ready for a construction grant prior to the end of the fiscal year.

The budget also reserves $351 million for the growing number of requests for Core Capacity improvements. These funds are available for fixed guideway projects in transit corridors that are already at or above capacity, or are expected to be within five years.

 

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