House Approves Transportation Spending for FY2023

As expected the House of Representatives of Congress on Friday approved a fiscal year 2023 spending bill and sent it to President Joseph R. Biden for his approval.

The bill contains $106 billion for transportation spending in fiscal year that began Oct. 1 and extend through Sept. 30.

That includes $2.45 billion for Amtrak and $21.2 billion for public transit. Passenger and freight rail combined will receive $16.6 billion. Those figures include some funding authorized by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021. The transportation funding was part of a larger $1.7 trillion federal budget.

Spending Bill has $106B for Transportation

An omnibus budget bill working its way through Congress contains $106 billion in federal transportation funding for fiscal year 2023, which began on Oct. 1.

The $1.7 trillion spending bill was approved by the Senate on Thursday with House approval expected to come on Friday.

The transportation budget includes increased funding for Amtrak and public transit agencies.

Amtrak is to receive $2.45 billion, which is $121.6 million above what the passenger carrier was granted in fiscal year 2022.

However, it also is short of the $3 billion requested by the Biden Administration and less than the $3.3 billion requested by Amtrak.

The Amtrak funding breaks down to $1.26 billion for the Northeast Corridor and $1.19 billion for the national network.

The legislation says that up to $66 million can be used to support planning, capital costs, and operating assistance for projects included in the Corridor Identification Program.

The latter is a program stemming from the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.  That money can be used to develop new intercity rail passenger routes and/or to improve service on existing passenger rail routes.

An analysis published on the website of the Rail Passengers Association said that Amtrak may face a squeeze from trying to do too much with the funding provided for the national network.

RPA noted that the passenger carrier is having a difficult time getting all of its pre-pandemic service back in service as well as hiring additional personnel. That might not leave much funding to develop new services.

Congress also banned Amtrak from using its operating grant to discontinue, reduce the frequency of, suspend, or substantially alter the route of any long-distance route except in the case of an emergency or a planned maintenance outage.

The Federal Railroad Administration will receive $1.05 billion. That is broken down to $44 million for railroad research and development; $100 million for the Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Rail grant program; and $560 million for the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements grant program.

The legislation specifies that at least $150 million in CRISI grants shall be used for development of new passenger rail corridors.

Other FRA spending earmarks included $25 million for the development and implementation of measures to prevent trespassing; $5 million for maglev; $30.4 million for Congressionally directed spending; and $5 million for workforce development training.

The Federal Transit Administration was allocated $16 billion of which $13.6 billion is to be used for Transit Formula Grants to address transit state of good repair; and $2.6 billion for Capital Investment Grants to create new transit routes nationwide.

The latter is a $387 million increase above fiscal year 2022 funding.

CRISI grants may be used to fund commuter rail projects, authorizing the transfer of funds by the USDOT to the appropriate agencies to be administered under public transportation laws.

3 Transit Systems to Get Federal Station Improvement Grants

Public transit systems in Cleveland, Pittsburgh and Philadelphia are among the recipients of grants from the Federal Transit Administration to be used to modernize stations and improve their accessibility.

The agencies are sharing in $686 million being awarded to 15 projects. The grant funding is coming from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

Greater Cleveland Transit Authority will receive $8 million to rebuild its East 79^th Street rapid station to make it more accessible.

The 1920s era station will receive new ramps, concrete platforms, rail crossings, warning panels, canopy-covered concrete stairs, upgraded emergency call boxes, and slip-resistant walking surfaces.

Pittsburgh Regional Transit will receive $24.4 million to make the Bethel Village, Westfield, St. Anne’s, and Shiras stations on the Red Line ADA accessible. Station improvements will include installing a high platform for level boarding, shelters on the boarding platform, ramps, accessible signage and auditory support.

The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority will receive $56 million to make its 11th Street subway station on the Market-Frankford Subway Line and the Chinatown, Erie, Fairmount Upper Level, Fairmount Lower Level and Snyder stations on the Broad Street Subway Line accessible.

The stations were built in the early 20^th century. Work will include installing elevators, general station upgrades, ramps, and making path of travel improvements.

FTA Has Funds for Transit Rail Car Replacement

The Federal Transit Administration said this week it will award $600 million for new subway, light rail, and commuter rail cars under its Rail Vehicle Replacement Program, part of $1.5 billion over the next five years being provided by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

In a news release, the FTA said a third of subway and commuter rail cars are more than 25 years old.

Proposals by transit agencies to receive a grant through the program are due by Jan. 5, 2023.

Transit Agencies Seek $129M in Emergency Aid

Public transit agencies are seeking a $129 million emergency appropriation from Congress.

The American Public Transportation Association asked for the funding last week, citing unmet funding needs of transit agencies.

Many of those needs were inflicted by harsh weather, including foods, hurricanes, wildfires and earthquakes.

If approved the funding would go to the Federal Transit Administration’s Public Transportation Emergency Relief Program.

That program provides funding for such things as rebuilding damaged infrastructure and replacement of vehicles destroyed by natural disasters.

Transit Agencies Receive TOD Grants

Two Ohio public transit agencies are being awarded grants through a Federal Transit Administration program for new services or to restore services suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The agency said it is awarding $25 million in grants made available by the American Rescue Plan Act.

In Ohio, the Toledo Area Regional Transit Authority will receive $210,000 to study and develop an operations plan for new service with bus stop planning, coordination of core service in corridors to facilitate safer transfers between routes.

The Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority (GoMetro) will receive $780,100 to plan for and develop new Bus Rapid Transit corridors, which will improve service and reliability, in particular for low-income riders and those living in disadvantaged communities.

Three Pennsylvania public transit agencies also will receive funding.

The Port Authority of Allegheny County will receive $780,100 to perform a bus network study which will evaluate the existing network to determine how to most effectively restore service for low-income and other disadvantaged populations as well as account for new trends in mobility following COVID-19.

The Centre Area Transportation Authority based in State College will receive $205,000 to conduct a study on current operations of existing services and make recommended changes that will increase ridership and overall transit experience for its riders.

The study is intended to determine how CATA can fully integrate its transportation services in order to provide enhanced mobility to seniors, low-income, and working families through efficiencies and enhanced routing.

The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA), in conjunction with the City of Philadelphia, will receive $500,000 to identify, study, and develop transportation improvements for the North Philadelphia West neighborhood between 18th and 33rd Street, and Lehigh and Girard Avenue, an area of roughly two square miles. This area is served by nine bus routes, with service concentrated on seven primary transit corridors.

In Louisville, Kentucky, the Transit Authority of River City will receive $780,100 to conduct a system wide analysis of its post-pandemic transit needs and to identify how resources can be better allocated to serve its riders, especially low income and disadvantaged communities. In Flint, Michigan, the Mass Transportation Authority will receive $260,000 to conduct a route planning restoration study of its 14 fixed, primary routes with the goal of increasing ridership, improving service delivery, and better understanding the changing needs in the post COVID-19 community.

FTA to Award TOD Pilot Program Grants

The Federal Transit Administration is accepting applications for a pilot program of transit-oriented planning grants.

The agency said it will provide $13 million in the grants during the current federal fiscal year. Applications are being accepted through July 25, 2022.

In a news release FTA said the grants provide “funding to communities to integrate land use and transportation planning in new fixed guideway and core capacity transit project corridors.”

Applicants must show how a grant will be used to improve economic development and ridership potential, foster multimodal connectivity and accessibility, improve transit access for pedestrian and bicycle traffic, engage the private sector, identify infrastructure needs, and enable mixed-use development near transit stations.

The FTA said that to ensure that planning work “reflects the needs and aspirations of the local community and results in concrete, specific deliverables and outcomes,” transit project sponsors must partner with entities with land use planning authority in the project corridor. Only one application per transit capital project corridor may be submitted.

FTA has $20B in Grant Funding Available

The Federal Transit Administration said it will award more than $20 billion in grants in federal fiscal year 2022.

The agency said that was an increase of 58 percent over FY 2021 due to an infusion of funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

The funding will be distributed through 30 programs. The funding was approved last month by Congress in the FY 2022 appropriations bill.

In a news release FTA said the funding by program works to the following.

• $6.9 billion for the Urbanized Area Formula Program, which supports transit agencies in large cities and suburbs, 29 percent more than the FY2021 funding level.

• $4.1 billion for the State of Good Repair Formula Program, 52 percent more than the FY2021 funding level.

• $893 million for Rural Area Formula grants, which support transit programs in rural areas, representing 23 percent more than the FY2021 levels.

• $422 million for the Enhanced Mobility of Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities program, representing 44 percent more than the FY2021 level.

• $45 million to support to transit programs run by tribal governments through formula and competitive grants, representing 25 percent more than the FY2021 funding level.

• $49 million for State Safety Oversight, representing 69 percent more than FY2021 funding level.

SEPTA Increases Capital Budget by $95M

The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority has increased its capital budget by $95 million to take into account expected funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

That will bring the Philadelphia-based public transit agency’s capital budget up to $713.85 million.

In a news release, SEPTA said projects the agency plans to undertake include stepping up design work for station accessibility upgrades on the Market-Frankford Line, Broad Street Line and Regional Rail network.

The additional investment in design will also ensure the agency is prepared for the federal competitive All Stations Accessibility Program, which is a new program funded under the federal infrastructure bill, SEPTA officials said.

SEPTA said it also plans to proceed with the design and implementation of several major projects, which include a trolley modernization, King of Prussia Rail project and rail vehicle replacement.

NEO Transit Agencies Get FTA Grants

Local public transit officials have released information as to how much money they are receiving in Federal Transit Administration grants and for what purposes the funding will be used.

FTA recently announced the awarding of $32,639,029 to improve bus service at five Ohio transit agencies.

Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority plans to use its $4 million to rehabilitate its Hayden bus maintenance facility.

Laketran in Lake County will use its $14,681,981 to expand a bus garage and add an operations and maintenance facility.

Portage Area Regional Transportation Authority will get $1,514,888 to replace older buses.

The Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority in Cincinnati will receive $10,134,960 to replace older buses while the Toledo Area Regional Transit Authority will get $2,307,200 to upgrade its maintenance facility and replace older paratransit vehicles.

The funding is coming from the Infrastructure and Jobs Acts approved by Congress last year.