(The Center Square) — The federal government is sending $703 million in taxpayer money to fund railcar replacements at six transit agencies nationwide.
The Federal Transit Administration announced the awards, funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
“One-third of our nation’s subway and commuter rail vehicles are more than 25 years old,” FTA Administrator Nuria Fernandez said in an announcement.
The largest award the feds announced is $200 million to the Chicago Transit Authority, which the agency plans to use to buy up to 300 new electric propulsion passenger railcars. The new cars will replace ones that have operated since the 1980s.
The second largest award is nearly $196.3 million for the Bi-State Development Agency of the Missouri-Illinois Metropolitan District, which serves the St. Louis metropolitan region. The agency plans to replace up to four dozen light rail vehicles “that have exceeded or are near the end of their useful life.”
The feds awarded $130 million to the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority to buy 60 new light rail and heavy rail vehicles. The agency plans to couple the money with another $213 million it received from other sources, including the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency and the Ohio Department of Transportation.
In a news release, the agency said the new fleet would save $7 million annually by reducing repair costs and providing better passenger service. The agency projects its Rail Car Replacement Program will cost $393 million.
The money “will allow GCRTA to replace railcars purchased in 1981 and 1982 respectively, with best-in-class technology and efficiency that will elevate our system to the next level,” GCRTA General Manager and Chief Executive Officer India L. Birdsong Terry said in an announcement.
The tranche included $71.7 million for the South Florida Regional Transportation Authority, which operates in the Miami area, to replace roughly 24 rail vehicles or about a third of its fleet.
The FTA also sent $60 million to the Utah Transit Authority. With the money, the UTA plans to buy 20 new light rail vehicles as replacements for older vehicles.
Lastly, the feds included $45 million for the Sacramento Regional Transit District. The agency plans to buy 16 light rail vehicles to replace older vehicles that have exceeded their usefulness.
“This significant funding award will help accelerate SacRT’s light rail modernization program and puts us one step closer to replacing our aging light rail fleet with entirely new and modern, low-floor vehicles that will improve accessibility for all riders,” SacRT Board Chair and Sacramento County Supervisor Patrick Kennedy said in an announcement. “These new vehicles are being built by Siemens, right here in Sacramento, so this is also a significant boost to the economic prosperity of the region.”
