FTA Grants Digest

Florida: Grant No. FL-04-0034-00 ($226,710) to Collier County Board of County Commissioners to purchase fuel equipment for fixed route, paratransit, and support vehicles.

North Carolina: Grant No. NC-04-0003-02 ($260,832) to enhance Elon University Public Transit System.

Ohio: Grant No. OH-04-0036-00 ($141,284) to Metro Regional Transit Authority to complete the construction of a bus pull-in lane and other pedestrian amenities to allow better access for bus service to the Akron Art Museum.

Texas: Grant No. TX-55-0001-00 ($633,233) to Greater Southeast Management District to construct a 300-space transit terminal parking facility located at the Children's Museum of Houston.

The Transportation District of Hampton Roads received $41,938,912 for the construction of the The Tide, Norfolk's light rail transit project.  The amount includes $23 million originally appropriated for the project in Fiscal Year 2008, plus an additional FY2008 amount of $18.9 million provided by the FTA out of its discretionary funds.

Last year, the FTA signed a full funding grant agreement that committed the federal government to provide $128 million for the project through 2010. The agreement allocated $57 million to the project for fiscal year 2008, but that amount was trimmed to $23 million during appropriations.  Today’s grant restores some of what was cut in the federal budget process, bringing FTA’s contribution to the project to $75.7 million to date. 

The Tide is a 7.4 mile system that runs from the Eastern Virginia Medical Center, east through downtown Norfolk to Norfolk State University, and continues along the Norfolk Southern right-of-way adjacent to I-264 to Newtown Road.

The $232.1 million project includes 11 stations, three new park-and-ride structures, a maintenance facility, and the purchase of nine rail vehicles.  Hampton Roads Transit plans to begin operating the line in early 2010, with service at seven-and-a-half minute intervals during peak periods. The Tide will serve between 6,000 and 12,000 riders per day.

The Center for Transportation and the Environment was awarded a $1,200,000 grant for the continued development and demonstration of an improved hybrid fuel cell bus.

The project was competitively awarded in fiscal year 2007 as part of the National Fuel Cell Bus Program, which was instituted to advance commercialization of fuel cell bus technology.  The project involves the design and development of a new lightweight composite 35-foot bus using advanced battery technology that will improve safety and battery life, and dual variable output fuel cell "stacks," a potentially more durable and efficient configuration than the usual single fuel cell stack. Hybrid fuel cell buses produce no harmful emissions.

The bus is being developed by Mobile Energy Solutions of Golden, Colo. This grant funds the completion of the bus body and bus interior, initial vehicle testing, and the development of fueling infrastructure at the University of South Carolina, one of the planned test locations.

Demonstration of the vehicle is expected in fiscal year 2009.  The estimated total project cost is $14 million, of which the federal share is 50 percent.

Arizona: Grant No. AZ-04-0002-00 ($1,750,447) to Northern Arizona Intergovernmental Public Transportation Authority for the purchase of two 35-foot hybrid electric buses, one 35-foot diesel bus, service vehicles, five bus shelters, six security cameras for 15 transit buses and office and rehabilitation equipment.  

California: Grant No. CA-04-0067-00 ($1,172,992) to Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority for passenger and pedestrian enhancements, including bus stops, sidewalk improvements, lighting, landscaping, street furniture, kiosks, and fencing.

California: Grant No. CA-04-0009-02 ($652,080) to Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority for the purchase, design, and construction of a permanent irrigation system for 80 acres of landscaping on the Metro Orange Line, which includes
800,000 plants, 5,000 trees and six landscaped art areas.

Colorado: Grant No. CO-04-0036-00 ($629,622) to Eagle County Regional Transportation Authority for the purchase of two 40-foot buses.      

Hawaii: Grant No. HI-03-0043-03 ($2,000,000) to the City and County of Honolulu for their Passenger Ferry Demonstration Service. The demonstration passenger ferry service will operate during the morning and afternoon weekday peak periods between the existing dock at the Kalaeloa Barbers Point Harbor and Honolulu Harbor Pier 9, a distance of 19 nautical miles.  

New Jersey: Grant No. NJ-39-0002-01 ($1,250,000) to the New  Jersey Transit Corporation for the Monmouth-Ocean-Middlesex Alternatives Analysis and Draft Environmental Impact Statement.  The rail project would consist of rail passenger service between Lakehurst and Newark Penn Station or Penn Station New York via either the North Jersey Coast Line or the Northeast Corridor, depending on the locally preferred alternative.     

Oregon: Grant No. OR-03-0124-02 ($78,400,000) to the Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon for payment of the amount appropriated in Fiscal Year 2008 per the terms of a multi-year full funding grant agreement to provide federal funding for the design and construction of 8.3 miles of track for the Portland South Corridor I-205/Portland Mall Light Rail Project. 

Texas: Grant No. TX-58-0002-00 ($1,394,130) to the City of El Paso-Sun Metro for the purchase of four 40-foot replacement CNG buses.    
                          
Washington: Grant No. WA-04-0005-00 ($772,200) to Grays Harbor Transportation Authority for expansion of the existing Aberdeen passenger bus station to include a park- and-ride lot.

Tennessee’s largest transit operator, Memphis Area Transit Authority (MATA), received a $1,381,355 grant for construction of the South Intermodal Terminal. The terminal will serve as a transfer center for MATA’s buses and the local operations center for Greyhound.

Upon completion, scheduled for early 2010, the 29,000 square foot facility will have capacity for 34 bus bays shared by Greyhound and MATA, temporary bus parking and storage with maintenance and fueling areas.  The center will also include office space, meeting rooms, a customer service and waiting area, and restaurants.

The funds announced today are part of FTA’s capital investment program that provides financial assistance for transit agencies to purchase new vehicles and construct new facilities.

The Nashville Metropolitan Transit Authority received a grant for construction of the Music City Central Station, an intermodal center in downtown’s Central Business District. 

The $3,156,960 grant will go towards construction of a 162,000 square foot station complete with 24 bus bays and 746 above-ground parking spaces.  Other customer service amenities will include climate-controlled waiting areas, ticket vending machines and large monitors to display bus schedules.  The center will also house administrative, operational, and retail space.

Total project costs for the center, which is scheduled to open October 2008, is $300,960. More than 14, 000 passengers are expected to use the center daily. 

These funds are part of FTA’s capital investment program that provides financial assistance for transit agencies to purchase new vehicles and construct new facilities.

Maryland Transportation Administration was awarded a grant for $2,800,000 for engineering, design and construction for two park-and-ride lots in Calvert and St. Mary’s Counties.

The grant will fund engineering and design services, including environmental documentation, for the New Market park and ride lot, to be located in St. Mary’s County.

Funds are also being provided for the construction of the 419-space Prince Frederick park-and-ride lot in Calvert County. This project will include landscaping, light fixtures, fencing, storm water management, bus shelters, bicycle racks, and telephone service.

The estimated total project cost for both lots is $3,500,000.

The projects, part of the Southern Maryland Commuter Bus Initiative, are funded under FTA’s capital investment program that provides financial assistance for transit agencies to purchase new vehicles and construct new facilities.

Tuscaloosa County Parking and Transit Authority received a grant in the amount of $2,788,260 for the Tuscaloosa Intermodal Center.  The facility will be built in Downtown Tuscaloosa and will consist of a public bus terminal, Transit Authority offices, and a parking deck with 449 parking spaces.  The center will serve as the central transit hub for the community and will interact with various transportation modes and transportation agencies. 

The estimated cost of the Intermodal Transportation Facility is approximately $12,145,324.

The funds are part of FTA’s capital investment program that provides financial assistance for transit agencies to purchase new vehicles and construct new facilities. 

The Tuscaloosa Intermodal Center is expected to be completed by August 31, 2009.

The City of Huntsville, Department of Parking and Public Transit received a grant in the amount of $1,190,000 to incorporate an intermodal transportation facility into a mixed-use complex called the Bridge Street Town Centre.  The project was designed as the “Downtown” of Huntsville’s Cummings Research Park, the fourth-largest research park in the world. 

The design of the center integrates public transportation with approximately 2 million square feet of modern development. 

The transportation facility, completed in January 2008, includes a two-level structure, a municipal bus transfer station, and a park-and-ride center with capacity for up to 1,500 cars, bicycle storage, and lockers.  An elevator and escalator will provide access to both floors of the two-level structure.  Way-finding signage and ADA-compliant graphics will be placed throughout the facility.

The estimated cost of the Intermodal Transportation Facility is approximately $9,045,665.  The funds announced today are part of FTA’s capital investment program that provides financial assistance for transit agencies to purchase new vehicles and construct new facilities.

California: Grant No. CA-04-0058-00 ($2,396,812) to the City of Gardena for the purchase of five alternative fuel buses for service expansion, onboard security system, and bus facility training equipment.

California: Grant No. CA-03-0528-05 - $684, 040 to North San Diego County Transit Development Board in Oceanside for purchase and construction of a vehicle storage and maintenance facility and other construction-related activities.

Georgia: Grant No. GA-04-0006-00 - $2,959,024 to Georgia DOT for the purchase of replacement vehicles and bus support equipment for the following counties: Athens, Rome, Albany, Columbus, Macon, Savannah and Gainesville.

Illinois: Grant No. 03-0224-10 - $39,200,000 to Chicago Transit Authority for payment of the amount appropriated in Fiscal Year 2008 per the terms of a multi-year Full Funding Grant Agreement to provide federal funding for the Ravenswood Brown Line Project.

Texas: Grant No. 04-0020-00 - $574, 200 to the City of Lubbock to upgrade Citibus employee parking lots, install security enhancements, and replace a bus wash.

California:  Grant No. CA-26-7076 ($380,000) to Southern California Regional Transit Training Consortium to develop a training program to help the transit industry and educational institutions meet present and future needs for a skilled transit work force in the region.

Colorado:  Grant No. CO-04-0035-00 ($162,840) to the City of Loveland for the purchase of one 35-foot bus, radios for 10 vehicles, and support equipment. 

Florida:  Grant No. FL-04-0033-00 ($238,000) to Collier County Board of County Commissioners for the purchase of fuel equipment for fixed route, paratransit, and support vehicles. 

Iowa:  Grant No. IA-04-0106-02 ($217,360) to Des Moines Regional Transit Authority to continue leasing sixteen 40-foot buses used in fixed route service in and around the City of Des Moines.

Nebraska: Grant No. NE-04-0001-01 ($423,269) to the City of Lincoln for the purchase of seven replacement paratransit vans.

OHIO: Grant No. OH-04-0034-00 ($15,975) to Washington County for one replacement bus.

TEXAS: Grant No: TX-04-0007-01 ($337,000) to Hill County Transit District, San Saba for the construction of a transit administration facility to serve the cities of Kileen and Temple and the surrounding rural area.

The Port Authority of Allegheny County has been awarded a grant in the amount of $3,264,499 for the purchase of one hybrid and 10 conventional 40-foot replacement buses.

All 11 will serve as replacement buses within the Port Authority's fleet of 863 buses. The new buses will reduce congestion, provide efficient and convenient service, and be accessible to persons with disabilities. The buses being replaced were purchased between 1993 and 1995 and have either met or exceeded their useful lives. 

The funds announced today are part of FTA''s capital investment program that provides financial assistance for transit agencies to purchase new vehicles and construct new facilities.

The following grant was also released: