$1.36 Billion in Federal Transit Administration Grants Awarded

"The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration (FTA) today announced a total of $1.36 billion in federal funding allocations to 16 new and existing transit projects in the Capital Investment Grants (CIG) Program," according to a Federal Transit Administration press release dated April 9, 2019.

Included in the number are five new projects and 11 projects with existing grant agreements. The press release also took the time to tout the program's funding record dating back to the beginning of the Trump administration. "With this announcement, FTA has advanced funding for 22 new CIG projects throughout the nation under this administration since January 20, 2017, totaling approximately $5.06 billion in funding commitments."

In local coverage of one funding allocation, Andrew Theen reports on $87.4 million in CIG funding awarded to "TriMet’s plan to overhaul and expand bus service between Portland and Gresham along a 15-mile stretch of Division Street.

"The estimated $175 million Division project was contingent on the $87.4 million in federal grants as it represented the biggest slice of the funding pie," according to Theen. "TriMet will contribute $40.5 million, and another $26.5 million in federal dollars directed to the region will go award the project. Portland in 2018 committed to spending $17.7 million on the route. Gresham, Metro, Multnomah County and the state also contributed."