Congress allocated $7.7 billion to the Capital Investment Grants program. The Federal Transit Administration has yet to sign a single agreement.
Shifting gears from its strategy of terminating grants, the Trump administration is simply declining to award over $7 billion in transit funds allocated by Congress under the Capital Investment Grants program.
As Emily Badger and Alicia Parlapiano report in The New York Times, the Federal Transit Administration has not signed a single new agreement under the CIG program since Pres. Trump returned to office.
The impacts on local transit agencies are severe: "Delays compound rising construction costs that outpace overall inflation. Without the certainty of federal funding, it’s harder for communities to pursue bonds and other financing for big projects."
According to the article, smaller communities would be most hurt by delays or unawarded grants. "They may not have dedicated taxes to fund transit or state programs to step in. Of the 46 projects in the pipeline, most aren’t trying to dig a tunnel under a major river — they’re seeking $50 million to $150 million for bus rapid transit."
Read the full story: Congress Budgeted Billions for Big Transit Projects. Trump Isn’t Spending It.
Hawai’i Transportation Projects Receive Federal Grants
State officials say they need around $15 billion to mitigate the impacts of rising seas.
Report: BUILD Act would strip over $2B in transit projects from California and New York alone
The proposed federal transportation bill would eliminate billions in funding from the Federal Transit Administration, the Federal Railroad Administration and other federal agencies that fund transit and multimodal transportation programs.
April must-reads: Top 10 articles from last month
The world's longest car-free bridge opens in Finland, Amtrak's new Mardi Gras line shatters ridership predictions, and Bay Area commuters could lose a third of Caltrain stations.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
California plans to bury El Niño’s downpour
If the state plays its cards right, it may be able to store a billion acre-feet of El Niño’s water in aquifers.
Desperate measures: Advocates weigh draining Lake Powell to fill Colorado River
Draining the reservoir could reduce evaporation losses by a couple hundred thousand acre-feet.
US buildings threatened, destroyed by fires set to triple by 2060
Researchers found a high fire risk for socioeconomically vulnerable neighborhoods in the American West.
LA residents may be allowed to paint their own crosswalks
Councilwoman Katy Yaroslavsky put out a motion instructing the Los Angeles Department of Public Transportation to study the feasibility of allowing volunteers to paint crosswalks.
Dallas moves to overhaul its zoning code
The city's zoning reform will allow more multi-family and mixed-use developments.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
City of Rosemead
Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
City of Cambridge
Montrose County
The Pocatello Development Authority