The following is a statement by APTA President and CEO Paul P. Skoutelas;
“The American Public Transportation Association’s 1,500 public and private members commend Congress for significant investment increases in federal public transportation and passenger rail programs. The omnibus appropriations bill for FY 2018 increases funding for Federal Transit Administration programs to $13.5 billion, well more than the $12.3 billion authorized, and it provides significant increases in Federal Railroad Administration commuter and intercity passenger rail programs as well.
“The bill reflects the importance that Congress places on the value of public transportation, for the contribution it makes to mobility, and for the role such investment plays in the vibrancy and economic prosperity of communities nationwide. In passing this bill, Congress has preserved the strong federal partnership with states and communities that is required to improve the nation’s transportation infrastructure. It will help create jobs, connect communities, and grow our economy.
“Approximately $13.5 billion is provided for the Federal Transit Administration in the bill, which includes $2.6 billion for Capital Investment Grants (CIG), up from $2.4 billion in FY 2017. We are also pleased that the bill contains strong legislative language to ensure the future of the CIG program.
“The bill also increases funding for buses and bus facilities over the FY 2017 level from $720 million to $1.1 billion. Funding for the rail State of Good Repair program increased over the FY 2017 level from $2.6 billion to $3 billion.
“The measure increases funding for other transit formula programs as authorized by the FAST Act, it increases the appropriation for the TIGER program from $500 million in FY 2017 to $1.5 billion, and it provides $250 million for Positive Train Control implementation under the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvement (CRISI) grant program. Finally, the measure increases Amtrak funding from $1.5 billion in FY 2017 to $1.9 billion this year, and it provides significant increases for other passenger rail programs.
“Federal investments supported under these programs will help to address the $90 billion funding backlog, identified by the U.S. DOT, that is needed to bring America’s public transportation infrastructure back into a state of good repair. Additionally, these 2018 appropriations will help move public transportation forward and help communities of all sizes create economic growth.”
