FTA Awards Next Round of Bus Urban Circulator Grants

The FTA recently announced the next round of urban bus circulator/sustainability grants.

Here is the whole list, http://www.fta.dot.gov/news/news_events_11820.html

One award I found most interesting was the bike sharing program in Boston administered by MBTA.  It looks as though the MBTA argued that funding this bike sharing  program would boost transit ridership and further sustainability goals.  $3 million federal dollars going towards bike sharing is pretty exciting.


Project: Boston Bike Share Program: (Bus and Bus Livability)Sponsor: Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA)
Amount: $3,003,051
An innovative and truly transformational project, the Regional Bike Share System is a multiple-city bike sharing system making thousands of bicycles available throughout the Boston metropolitan area with the swipe of a card. The Bike Share system was conceived as an extension and enhancement of the existing public transit system. More than 500 Bike Share stations will be located at or near Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) bus and rail transit stations to encourage and facilitate use of public transit. The system will create two million new bike trips per year.

Here are the two projects that received money in Washington.  I don't know much about the Skagit Transit Park and Ride lot, although it is interesting to note it is one of only two park and ride lots nationally to be funded under this sustainability focused this program.  I also can't wait for day when I can access King Street Station from its original internal staircase and admire at the restored original ceiling.

Project: Seattle Intermodal Hub (Bus and Bus Livability)Sponsor: City of Seattle
Amount: $2,400,000
The City of Seattle will restore the historic King Street Station and improve the Westlake Hub,  creating two intermodal transportation hubs in downtown Seattle that connect rail, bus, streetcar, and pedestrian networks in Seattle’s Center City. Improvements to these two hubs are critical to implementation of Seattle’s Center City Access Strategy to revitalize 10 downtown neighborhoods, fight regional sprawl and build a sustainable economy and community.

Project: Chuckanut Park and Ride (Bus and Bus Livability)Sponsor: Skagit Transit
Amount: $2,800,000
The Chuckanut Park and Ride project will be a high capacity parking and transit transfer facility located just off the I-5 Chuckanut/ SR 11 exit in Burlington, Washington.  It will accommodate more than 300 parking spaces and include a bus pad for transit access; passenger shelters; bicycle racks and safety features such as improved lighting, fencing, and security cameras. The goal is to supply necessary transit infrastructure, relieve congestion and also offer convenience, safety and attractiveness to transit and vanpool users, as well as leisure travelers