WASHINGTON — Fourteen major transit projects in 11 states would receive almost $4 billion under President Joe Biden’s fiscal 2025 budget request to Congress, according to recommendations from Transportation Pete Buttigieg.
Primary funding would come under the Capital Investment Grants and Expedited Project Delivery Pilot programs.
“FTA looks forward to working with these communities to advance transit projects that will provide new transit options,” Federal Transit Administration Acting Administrator Veronica Vanterpool said in a press release. “These investments support President Biden’s commitment to combat climate change while also improving safety, advancing equity, and improving quality of life for millions of Americans.”
The budget includes three projects that have had funding recommended in prior budgets but have yet to compete a construction grant agreement, seven recommended to receive funding for the first time, and four with existing construction grant agreements. Of those 14 projects, nine are rail related.
That includes two of three projects in the first group, $350 million for Chicago’s Red Line Extension [see “Chicago’s Red Line Extension receives $1.9 billion federal commitment …,” Trains News Wire, Sept. 11, 2023], and $700 million for the Hudson Tunnel Project on the Northeast Corridor [see “Hudson Tunnel project lands more federal funding …,” News Wire, Nov. 4, 2023].
First-time federal funding is recommended for:
— The Inglewood (Calif.) Transit Connector Project, an elevated rail line connecting the LA Metro line rail network to several event venues, which would receive $200 million [see “Inglewood, Calif., to receive more than $1 billion …,” News Wire, Jan. 8, 2024]
— The Transbay Joint Powers Authority’s Transbay Downtown Extension, which would extend Caltrain commuter rail service from the area near the current Caltrain terminal to the Salesforce Transit Center in downtown San Francisco. The project would receive $500 million for what was estimated last year to be a $6.7 billion project [see “Extending Caltrain, high speed route …,” News Wire, Jan. 23, 2023].
— The Miami-Dade County Department of Transportation, which would receive $263.7 million for the Northeast Corridor Rapid Transit Project, to provide commuter rail service between downtown Miami and Aventura. Miami officials said last fall that priority for that project was increasing [see “Miami-Aventura commuter rail service to rise in priority, and price,” News Wire, Sept. 27, 2023].
The four projects with existing construction grants to receive funding are LA Metro’s Westside Purple Line subway extension; $315.7 million; Minneapolis’ Southwest Light Rail Green Line extension, $129.5 million; $496.8 million for New York’s Second Avenue Subway Phase 2; and $88.5 million for the Seattle area’s Lynnwood Link Light Rail Extension.
Bus rapid transit projects in San Antonio, Texas; Chapel Hill, N.C.; Indianapolis; and Madison, Wis., also would receive funding.
Good to see another $129.5 million being thrown at Minnesota’s Metro Transit Southwest LRT. There should be no limits to spending on this project. Connecting MPLS with a bowling alley and the backside of a Walmart in the burbs —> priceless.
For a moment, let’s ll be political realists and recognize this “Budget” really is. These boondoggles are a thinly veiled attempt to buy votes. This is demonstrated by several facts. This is the 2025 fiscal budget. The period covered starts October 1, 2025. So it’s political value is at its maximum for 36 days! Then it’s political fate is up to a different cast of characters. So politicians can promise anything now and may or may not have to live up to what they say. So it’s “Speechwriters, ENGAGE” (Of course this can be applied to any project that needs or wants Federal funding) The real facts of life here are that we are at March 12, 2024 as I write this and we don’t have an approved enacted Budget for this year. So I’m not to concerned about the fate of these proposed nine Transportation projects. Not when the evidence points to the same kind of Government haste to complete its current tasks. 154 days late and still counting.
How about funding the proposal to change the SUNSET LIMITED’s route from Houston-San Antonio-El Paso to Houston-Fort Worth-El Paso? That should be an easy win.
That isn’t a transit project so wouldn’t be part of this.
Charles: your last fact and comment is astounding to me. Thank you. Andy
It’s a railroad station for Pete’s sake. There’s no reason for building a Taj Mahal so a local pol can get his picture taken and say “look what I got for You”.
No way shape or form should the Feds be involved in state hwy projects either but they do billions of $$$ every year for state & local hwy projects. Same for aviation yet the Feds just donated $20 million to the airport in my area to add gates. If the Feds (taxpayers) should not be responsible for transit the same should be said of the above in addition to bailing out millionaire farmers & corporate farms, aid to people living in flood & hurricane areas, etc, etc, etc,..
Many good points, Galen. I have no arguement with most of what you post. I’m with you. Federal gas tax should be spent on IH and USH projects, with 100% state gas tax funding for STH, Urban and Local. (These are the Wisconsin terms.)
That’s probably not far different from how it is now. I’m no expert on highway budgets, but I do know that there was no federal funding for Wisconsin’s STH 794, the Lake Parkway, an almost freeway connecting to IH 794, the Daniel Hoan Bridge in Milwaukee.
Galen, I’ll stick with my main point, which is that the real reason for federal funding is that Washington prints money while the states have to balance their budgets. That’s why hurricane and flood relief, as in your post, is federal. And of course COVID, where the federal government simply printed as much money as was spent on World War II (in constant dollars).
Thanks, Galen, for your post.
Just so we’re all clear who benefits most from the Inglewood project, the “several event venues” are The Forum and the under-construction Intuit Dome (both owned by multibillionaire Steve Ballmer), and SoFi Stadium and its adjacent development (owned by multibillionaire Stan Kroenke). Also some fraction of the visitors to the 2028 Summer Olympics, who will have every incentive to take transit to these venues. For two weeks.
Depending on the election results, this will never see the light of day. It will most likely get cut.
Not in any way shape form or by any other measure a federal responsibility.
Have the locals and states raise taxes to pay for these.
Oh, the REAL REASON — the federals print money ad infinitum. States and locals need to spend actual money raised from actual taxpayers.