“Our new policy for selecting major transit projects will work to promote livability rather than hinder it,” said Secretary LaHood.

EE&K Aims to Help Develop Communities with New Transit Funding Guidelines

On January 13, 2010, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood proposed that new funding guidelines for major transit projects be based on livability issues, in addition to cost and time saved, which are currently the primary criteria.

“Our new policy for selecting major transit projects will work to promote livability rather than hinder it,” said Secretary LaHood. “We want to base our decisions on how much transit helps the environment, how much it improves development opportunities and how it makes our communities better places to live.” The change will apply to how the Federal Transit Administration evaluates major transit projects going forward. In making funding decisions, the FTA will now evaluate the environmental, community and economic development benefits provided by transit projects, as well as the congestion relief benefits from such projects. For more information, see: http://www.dot.gov/affairs/2009/fta0110.htm

The funding, approximately $2 billion/year, will be awarded under the FTA’s discretionary New Starts program and Small Starts program (for fixed guideway systems with substantial transit stations, projects smaller than $250M with no more than $75 M grant).

This represents a dramatic change from existing policy, and promises to be a major factor in EE&K’s ability to assist communities to build great places. EE&K is enthusiastic about the opportunities represented by this new criteria, as our work is explicitly focused on promoting livability, and our experience is centered on leveraging infrastructure investments to add value to development opportunities.