“Putting people to work on public transportation projects is a win-win for Michigan,” said Stabenow. “Not only will this economic recovery funding help create good-paying jobs in the short term, but it will also provide a much-needed investment in our public transportation infrastructure to lay the foundation for economic success down the road.”

“This economic recovery package funding will create jobs and make investments in our public transportation systems that will pay dividends for years to come,” said Levin. “I am hopeful that the infrastructure projects made possible by this bill will create jobs in Michigan while improving and modernizing public transit systems across our state, which is essential to future economic growth and development throughout the state.”

About FTA grant programs:

Fixed Guideway Modernization Formula Program (Section 5309) – eligible purposes are capital projects to modernize or improve existing fixed guideway systems, including purchase and rehabilitation of rolling stock, track, line equipment, structures, signals and communications, power equipment and substations, passenger stations and terminals, security equipment and systems, maintenance facilities and equipment, operational support equipment including computer hardware and software, system extensions, and preventive maintenance. A “fixed guideway” refers to any transit service that uses exclusive or controlled rights-of-way or rails, entirely or in part. The term includes heavy rail, commuter rail, light rail, monorail, trolleybus, aerial tramway, inclined plane, cable car, automated guideway transit, ferryboats, that portion of motor bus service operated on exclusive or controlled rights-of-way, and high-occupancy-vehicle (HOV) lanes.

Urbanized Area Formula Program (Section 5307) – makes Federal resources available to urbanized areas and to Governors for transit capital and operating assistance in urbanized areas and for transportation related planning. Eligible purposes include planning, engineering design and evaluation of transit projects and other technical transportation-related studies; capital investments in bus and bus-related activities such as replacement of buses, overhaul of buses, rebuilding of buses, crime prevention and security equipment and construction of maintenance and passenger facilities; and capital investments in new and existing fixed guideway systems including rolling stock, overhaul and rebuilding of vehicles, track, signals, communications, and computer hardware and software. All preventive maintenance and some Americans with Disabilities Act complementary paratransit service costs are considered capital costs.

Formula Grants for Other Than Urbanized Areas Program (Section 5311) – provides formula funding to states for the purpose of supporting public transportation in areas of less than 50,000 populations. Funds may be used for capital, operating, and administrative assistance to state agencies, local public bodies, Indian tribes, and nonprofit organizations, and operators of public transportation services.

The breakdown of funding by program can be found in the table below. For more information on FTA grants as allocated through the economic recovery package, please visit http://www.fta.dot.gov/index_9118.html.

Sections 5307 Section 5311 Section 5309 Total
$109,036,212 $25,787,129 $133,125 $134,956,466