AASHTO Journal - FTA Makes $686M Available for Rail Station Upgrades

The Federal Transit Administration recently issued a notice of funding opportunity or NOFO that makes approximately $686 million in grants available to help modernize some of the nation’s oldest and busiest rail transit stations to ensure, in the agency’s words, they “meet the needs of American families.”

[Above photo by RIDOT]

The FTA said in a statement that this grant funding seeks to help transit agencies in financing capital projects to repair, improve, modify, retrofit, or relocate infrastructure of stations or facilities to make all public areas of the station more convenient for families as well as Americans with disabilities – including those using strollers and wheelchairs.

The NOFO focuses on several priority considerations for funding, FTA said, including:

Benefits for Families and Communities: How a project will improve the accessibility of transportation for families with young children, including those with strollers, and will improve access to jobs, healthcare facilities, recreational activities, and commercial activity.
Wayfinding Improvements: How a project will include universal wayfinding tools and signage to support individuals with disabilities (including persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities, with sensory disabilities, and who use wheelchairs), such as: plain language instructions using large print and simplified language; directional pathways and floor markings; synchronized visual and audio announcements; and real-time information displays that are easy to interpret and located throughout passenger waiting areas.
Reduce Project Costs and Improve Project Delivery (for capital projects only): How a project prioritizes efficiency and speed in project implementation, including strategies that provide longer work windows that allow time for concentrated and consistent work that shortens the project schedule and reduces costs.

Concurrently, FTA noted in a separate release that it also issued more than $100 million to the public transit systems within U.S. cities hosting 2026 FIFA World Cup soccer matches. That funding will ensure communities can expand transit options to meet increased demand in services around stadiums, FTA said.