U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood today announced funding of $787 million for 255 projects to build, repair and modernize transit systems across the country through the Federal Transit Administration's (FTA) "State of Good Repair" and "Bus Livability" programs. Demand, however, was much greater, with 836 applications seeking $4 billion in awards.
According to LaHood, the grants also build on safety initiatives included in legislation President Barack Obama signed on July 6. "The transportation bill creates good-paying jobs and provides $21 billion for improving transit across the country and, for the first time, it gives the FTA oversight over transit safety — something we have pushed for for the last three and a half years."
Pennsylvania's share of the funding amounts to $26 million, including nearly $4 million for a new bus maintenance and storage facility in Donora, $1.6 million to replace four diesel vehicles with buses fueled by compressed natural gas (CNG) in Erie, and more than $12 million for facility renovations in State College.
$3 million will buy heavy duty hybrid buses in Allentown, $5 million will restore a transportation center in Philadelphia, and $200,000 will update three buses in Altoona.
The FTA awarded more than $1.8 billion in FY2010 and FY2011 for hundreds of projects, mostly involving buses and bus facilities.
