FTA awards three BRT projects with combined $164.1 million

Sept. 27, 2021
The funding is provided to the projects through the Capital Investment Grants Program and will help riders in Utah, New York state and Washington state better connect with services and jobs.

Three bus rapid transit (BRT) projects in Odgen, Utah, Albany, N.Y., and Vancouver, Wash., have been awarded a combined $164.1 million through the Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA) Capital Investment Grants (CIG) Program.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said the projects will help connect people to jobs, education and other services, such as health care, in an environmentally-friendly way.

The three projects to receive CIG Program grants include:

  • Utah Transit Authority (UTA), which received $78.3 million for the Ogden-Weber State University BRT project;
  • Capital District Transportation Authority (CDTA), which received $60.9 million for the Albany Washington Western BRT project; and
  • Clark County Public Transportation Benefit Area (C-TRAN), which received $24.9 million for the Mill Plain BRT Project.
The $120.5-million UTA Ogden-Weber State University BRT will connect the Ogden Intermodal Transit Center FrontRunner station and the McKay-Dee Hospital via Weber State University (WSU) along 5.3 miles with 13 stations. This is the second BRT route for UTA and the route will be named OGX, which stands for Ogden Express. The Ogden, Utah, project includes the construction of 2.2 miles of exclusive bus lanes on the WSU campus, as well as a new WSU campus transit center and the expansion of UTA’s existing Mount Odgen Maintenance facility. The BRT route will feature transit signal priority, the purchase of 11 electric vehicles and charging infrastructure.

"FTA is proud to join our partners in Utah to improve transit connections and expand the Bus Rapid Transit network in Ogden," said FTA Administrator Nuria Fernandez. "Transit riders on the Ogden-Weber State University BRT line can look forward to more efficient service and other amenities that will improve travel times in this busy corridor."

In Albany, N.Y., CDTA’s 8.5-mile, $77.7-million Washington Western BRT will connect the downtown Albany Bus Terminal through the Harriman State Office Campus and the State University of New York at Albany (UAlbany) to Crossgates Mall. The service is the third BRT route for CDTA and includes a one-mile semi exclusive busway across the UAlbany campus, limited stops, 16 buses, transit signal priority, queue bypass lanes, real-time bus arrival information and the expansion of the existing Albany bus maintenance garage.

"The Albany region has so much to offer and FTA is proud to join our partners in New York in connecting the Capital District with Bus Rapid Transit," said FTA Administrator Fernandez.

The $49.9-million Mill Plain BRT will be C-TRAN’s second BRT line and will connect downtown and east Vancouver with frequent, reliable, green and safe service. The 9.9-mile project includes larger vehicles, enhanced stations, among other improvements and is expected to open in 2023. A groundbreaking is planned for the project on Sept. 28, 2021.

"FTA is proud to join our partners in Washington to expand bus rapid transit service and improve transit connections to downtown Vancouver and other important destinations," said FTA Administrator Fernandez.

About the Author

Mischa Wanek-Libman | Editor in Chief

Mischa Wanek-Libman serves as editor in chief of Mass Transit magazine. She is responsible for developing and maintaining the magazine’s editorial direction and is based in the western suburbs of Chicago.

Wanek-Libman has spent more than 20 years covering transportation issues including construction projects and engineering challenges for various commuter railroads and transit agencies. She has been recognized for editorial excellence through her individual work, as well as for collaborative content. 

She is an active member of the American Public Transportation Association's Marketing and Communications Committee and serves as a Board Observer on the National Railroad Construction and Maintenance Association (NRC) Board of Directors.  

She is a graduate of Drake University, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism and Mass Communication with a major in magazine journalism and a minor in business management.