Dive Brief:
- The Federal Transit Administration announced it will provide $1.04 billion for a $2.17-billion, 10.92-mile extension of San Diego's light rail trolley service, according to Railway Age.
- In addition to the FTA's 10-year funding plan, a half-cent TransNet sales tax will also help pay for the new Blue Line Trolley service from downtown to UC San Diego. The extension has been billed as the region's largest public transit project ever.
- Federal money for the extension comes via the FTA's Capital Investment Grant program, and, according to Railway Age, competition for CIG funds is fierce, requiring a years-long application process.
Dive Insight:
This announcement is a much-needed success story in the nationwide quest for funding and support for light rail systems, as limited access to federal and state cash has forced some local transit advocates to come up with alternatives to the typical funding arrangements. After being denied state money for a Minneapolis-area light rail project, local governments joined forces and did an end-run around state lawmakers by cobbling together the resources themselves. The $145 million pledged by neighboring counties, led by the regional transportation-planning agency, now makes a $900 million federal contribution possible.
In Miami Beach, local officials are avoiding the federal logjam altogether in their quest to get a $380 million light rail streetcar system up and running. County commissioners have decided to begin negotiations with French rail company Alstom based on its design proposals. The system would potentially connect Miami Beach with downtown Miami. County commissioners said they decided to forego federal grant applications because of the time it takes to conduct the required studies.
Local support for these types of projects is critical in getting them off the ground. Unlike community organization-backing in Minneapolis, a proposed $54 billion Seattle light rail project recently received a thumbs-down from a local business group. In a run-up to a November vote on the Sound Transit 3 measure, the Bellevue Chamber of Commerce announced it would not support the 62-mile rail-and-bus initiative because it said there were too many unanswered questions about the proposed extension
