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    1. Management

    FY21 CIG project ratings: Which transit projects are eligible for federal funding

    Feb. 12, 2020
    The Federal Transit Administration released its FY21 funding recommendations and updated project ratings.
    Valley Metro
    Valley Metro's two projects in the CIG Program saw their rating increase to Medium-High in the FY21 rankings.
    Valley Metro's two projects in the CIG Program saw their rating increase to Medium-High in the FY21 rankings.

    The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) published its proposed funding for Capital Investment Grant (CIG) projects and updated the results of FTA evaluations and ratings of the projects. 

    FTA is required by law to evaluate projects on a set of statutorily defined project justification and local financial commitment criteria. To maintain eligibility for federal funding in the CIG Program, projects require an overall rating of Medium or above to qualify for federal funding. The five-point scale ranges from Low – Medium – High or a combination of the two.

    The CIG Program currently has three Core Capacity projects, 15 New Starts projects and 33 Small Starts projects in 24 states. Of the projects evaluated, five received an overall project rating below Medium, making them ineligible for federal funding.

    Projects below the Medium threshold (all were ranked Medium-Low):

    • New Starts – Metro Gold Line Bus Rapid Transit in St. Paul, Minn.
    • New Starts – Hudson Tunnel in Secaucus, N.J., which is part of the Gateway Program
    • Small Starts – Restoration of historic streetcar in downtown Los Angeles, Calif.
    • Small Starts – Capital Area Transportation Authority Bus Rapid Transit Project in Lansing, Mich.
    • Small Starts – Swift Orange Line Bus Rapid Transit in Everett, Wash.

    There was also good news for several CIG program projects including the two Valley Metro light-rail projects, the South Central Light-Rail Extension/Downtown Hub and Northwest Extension Phase II, which saw both of their ratings increase from a Medium in FY20 to Medium-High in FY21.

    Additionally, the second Gateway Program project that has entered the CIG program, the Portal North Bridge in Hudson County, N.J., saw both its local financial commitment rating and its overall project rating rise to Medium-High, which makes the project eligible for funds through the CIG Program.

    FTA’s FY21 funding proposals and project ratings coincided with the release of President Trump’s FY21 budget request.

    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.

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