FTA today announced a total of $30.5 billion in federal funding is now available to support the nation’s public transportation systems as they continue to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and support President Biden’s call to vaccinate the U.S. population. Funding is provided through the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Pub. L. 117-2), signed by President Biden on March 11, 2021.
The American Rescue Plan Act includes $30.5 billion for public transportation, including $26.6 billion to be allocated by statutory formulas to urban and rural areas, tribal governments, and for the enhanced mobility of seniors and individuals with disabilities, and $2.2 billion to FTA grant recipients in communities that demonstrate additional pandemic-associated needs. Funds will be made available at 100-percent federal share and primarily directed to operations and payroll. An additional $1.7 billion is provided for projects in the Capital Investment Grants (CIG) Program and another $25 million for competitive planning grants.
FTA will host a webinar about the American Rescue Plan Act funding on Friday, April 2, at 2 p.m. to provide additional guidance to transit stakeholders. More information about the webinar and additional resources are available on FTA’s website.
Contact GMA for more information about how these funds will be spent.