AASHTO Journal - FTA Issues New Transit and Mobility-for-All Grants

The Federal Transit Administration awarded a total of $22.97 million to 23 organizations around the country on June 11 from its Pilot Program for Transit-Oriented Development Planning program, which assists communities that are developing new or expanded mass transit systems.

[Above photo by the FTA.]

The agency also issued $3.5 million in grants for 17 projects in 16 states on June 5 to improve mobility and access to public transportation for older adults, people with disabilities, and low income individuals.

The FTA said in that its Pilot Program for TOD Planning funds comprehensive planning projects near public transportation that improve access, encourage ridership and spur economic and mixed-use development.

That $22.97 million in funding is also slightly more than what the agency originally offered in its original notice of funding opportunity in September 2019; part of a steady increase in grant funding made available by this program since 2018.

“We are proud to support our local partners as they plan for transit-oriented development that better connects residents to jobs, education and services,” noted K. Jane Williams, FTA’s acting administrator, in a statement. “This funding will help improve the quality of life of riders in communities across America.”

Meanwhile, the $3.5 million in grants the agency is providing through its Mobility-for-All pilot program is part of a broader U.S. Department of Transportation mobility initiative launched in November 2019.

Selected projects support coordination among programs funded by the Coordinating Council on Access and Mobility, an interagency partnership which includes representatives from USDOT and 10 other federal agencies to coordinate efforts and improve the quality, efficiency, and availability of transportation services for targeted populations.

“FTA is committed to improving access and mobility for all Americans, especially as we work to address the impacts of COVID-19,” noted FTA’s Williams in a separate statement. “Through improved coordination of transportation services and enhanced partnerships, these projects will provide more efficient service to people in rural and small urban areas and individuals affected by healthcare challenges such as the opioid epidemic, veterans and Medicaid recipients.”

Examples of projects selected to receive funding through FTA’s Mobility for All pilot program include:

A pilot program funded by a $188,000 grant to the Maine Department of Transportation to expand on-demand rural bus service for older adults and individuals with disabilities in northern Maine.
Funding for the North Carolina Department of Transportation for trip scheduling software that will create a more efficient point of entry to connect underserved populations, including people seeking substance abuse treatment, with transportation services in rural northeastern North Carolina.