U.S. DoT announces $277.5M funds for transit systems hurricane damage

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration (FTA) today announced the allocation of $277.5 million in Emergency Relief funding for public transportation systems damaged by Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria. Approximately $232.3 million will be dedicated to response, recovery, and rebuilding projects, with $44.2 million going toward resiliency projects.

FTA plans to allocate the funds as follows: approximately $223.5 million for Puerto Rico, $23.3 million for Texas, $22.8 million for Florida, $6.7 million for the U.S. Virgin Islands, and $187,000 for Georgia.

“The Department is committed to helping these communities recover from the devastation wreaked by the hurricanes as well as preparing them for future emergencies,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao.

Each state or territory will be able to use the grant funding for several major categories, such as emergency operations, damages to transit vehicles and infrastructure, and the cost of resiliency projects to better protect against future disasters. Costs that have been incurred during emergency operations are eligible for reimbursement.

“Public transportation played a critical role in providing emergency support and evacuations in response to these catastrophic hurricanes,” said FTA Acting Administrator K. Jane Williams. “FTA will continue to work with our local partners to ensure these funds will help make emergency response and preparedness efforts as effective as possible.”

Today’s notice also provides guidance and requirements to grant recipients for this allocation of funds under FTA’s Emergency Relief Program.

Congress appropriated $330 million for FTA’s Emergency Relief Program (49 U.S.C.§5324) in the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018, passed in February 2018.

About Federal Transit Administration

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) provides financial and technical assistance to local public transit systems, including buses, subways, light rail, commuter rail, trolleys and ferries. FTA also oversees safety measures and helps develop next-generation technology research.

Transit services supported by FTA span many groups and provide wide-ranging benefits. Since 1964, FTA has partnered with state and local governments to create and enhance public transportation systems, investing more than $12 billion annually to support and expand public rail, bus, trolley, ferry and other transit services. That investment has helped modernize public transportation and extended service into small cities and rural communities that previously lacked transit options.

An agency within the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), FTA is headed by an administrator appointed by the President of the United States. FTA is one of DOT’s 10 modes of transportation and is run by a headquarters in Washington, D.C. as well as 10 regional offices that assist transit agencies in all states and U.S. territories.