Federal Funding Takes Aim at Public Transit

The Biden administration announced nearly $10 billion in new funding for public transit systems, reports Skylar Woodhouse in Bloomberg CityLab. “The investments will help people travel faster and at modest prices, according to a senior administration official, with money going toward assisting communities maintain and operate trains, buses and ferries, upgrade stations and plan for new transit corridors.”

The funds come as President Biden runs for reelection and seeks to bolster his credentials in the transportation sector. “Earlier this month, the FTA announced $631 million in grants to help transit agencies in Chicago, Baltimore and Philadelphia replace older railcars, and in a separate initiative made available $1.5 billion in funding to support state and local efforts to buy or modernize buses and bus facilities.”