FTA: Federal budget proposal includes record transit funds

摘要

The proposed federal fiscal-year 2012 budget recommends a record $3.2 billion for 27 transit proj ects, including $569.3 million for 10 new rail and bus rapid transit projects, and an additional $1.4 billion for 11 projects recommended but left out of previous budgets, the Federal Transit Administra tion (FTA) announced on Feb. 15 (see page 6 for more info on the budget). In addition, the budget would allocate $835.4 million for the continued funding of seven transit-rail projects already oper ating or under construction in New York City, Dallas, Salt Lake City, Seattle and northern Virginia. "The projects we're recommending for funding this year have so far met the demanding requirements of the New Starts program, which ensures that they represent a good investment of taxpayer dollars," said FTA Administrator Peter Rogoff in a prepared statement. Of the 10 new projects, those involving rail are the Draper, Utah, light-rail line; Portland-to Milwaukie, Ore., light-rail line; Bay Area Rapid Transit extension in San Francisco; and Mesa Central light-rail line in Arizona. The 11 projects previously recommended but not included in a federal budget include San Francisco's Central Subway; Sacramento's South Corridor light-rail extension; Denver's Eagle Commuter Rail project; central Florida's commuter-rail line; Honolulu's light-rail project; the Twin Cities' Central Corridor light-rail line; and Houston's light-rail project.