Region receives ARRA grants for local public transportation

A series of 50 grants for public transportation totaling $1.2 billion were awarded on Aug. 13 by Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, as part of the nation’s stimulus economic package signed on February by President Barack Obama. The southern California region will receive $95.4 million.

These grants are part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), and aim to improve and refurbish old and worn buses, purchase paratransit units and new buses, and increase security in dozens of buses, trains, and urban train depots of cities and towns across the country.

Locally, the cities that will benefit are Lompoc, San Diego, Claremont, Commerce, and the Southern California Regional Rail Authority. In Claremont, two 25-foot long buses to transport disabled riders will be purchased with $124,728.

“The Recovery Act was put in place quickly to rescue the economy from the worst recession since the Great Depression and rebuild it for a stronger future,” said LaHood. “Rebuilding the nation’s infrastructure is a key part of that prescription for strength. It creates jobs today and builds a better, more sustainable economy moving forward.”

Since the president signed ARRA into law, grants totaling more than $4.2 billion have been made available for transit improvements throughout the nation.

“These funds are creating jobs now while investing in the future of our transit systems,” said Peter Rogoff, an administrator with the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). “The public’s demand for transit service continues to grow, and these dollars will help meet that need.”

The U.S. Department of Transportation has made $48.1 billion available for highway, road, transit, bridge, and airport construction and repairs nationwide. Of that, $23.9 billion already has been slated to fund nearly 7,500 approved projects in cities, entities and most states.

In southern California, this is how the grants will be spend:

• City of Lompoc: $1.3 million to purchase one 40-foot replacement coach, two American with Disabilites Act vans, four 30-foot replacement buses, security improvement and safety equipment.

• Southern California Regional Rail Authority: $21.9 million to fund safety and capacity improvements on the Metrolink system; positive train control on the Metrolink System.

• City of Commerce: $581,682 to purchase one 35-foot low-floor bus and transit management software.

• City of Claremont: $124,748 to purchase two 25-foot paratransit buses.

• San Diego Association of Governments: $73 million to fund construction of the multi-modal transit center, rail electrification, track improvements and a bridge replacement; design and construction of the trolley wayside and trackway modifications including stations to support new low-floor vehicle operations on the Blue Line.