Federal Transit Administration announced 18 substantial projects in 11 states were recommended to receive $4.45 billion.
These large rail and bud rapid transit projects would receive funding from President Joe Biden's 2024 budget request, according to a March 9 FAA news release. Nine of the projects are receiving funding for the first time, while the other projects are already under construction or far along in the planning progress.
"Transit connects people to jobs, schools, loved ones and more," U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a March 10 post on Twitter. "This week we recommended funding for 18 major transit projects nationwide that will create good-paying construction jobs, spur local economies and improve millions of commutes."
The nine new transportation projects to receive funding are in California, Colorado, Illinois, Minnesota, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas and Utah, according to the release.
These projects include bus rapid transit systems, heavy rail extensions and strategic double track upgrades, the release reported. The projects aim to reduce congestion, improve transit ridership, enhance accessibility and mobility, improve existing infrastructure and promote economic development. The total funding for these projects is $1.13 billion.
"We are proud to deliver this funding to expand transit across the country, which will create good-paying construction jobs and provide better options for people to get where they need to go," Buttigieg said in the release.
If funded, the projects will improve transit options, create and sustain jobs in construction and operations and help communities provide better, more frequent transit services, along with improving existing infrastructure, the release reported. The funding will be allocated from the FTA Capital Investment Grants and Expedited Project Delivery Pilot programs.
Both the CIG Program and EPD Pilot Program are the federal government's primary grant programs that are used in the supporting of new large transit capital projects that are locally planned, implemented and operated, according to the release.
