House committee releases results of study on funding program

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The House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure released a report Tuesday on analysis of the Federal Transit Administration’s Capital Investment Grant (CIG) Program.

The program assists transit agencies with funding bus rapid transit, commuter rail, light rail, streetcars, and subway projects.

“It’s highly disappointing that the data show the Trump administration defying Congressional intent and being an obstacle, rather than a partner, to state and local agencies,” Committee Chairman Peter DeFazio (D-OR) said. “These findings should be a wake-up call to FTA (Federal Transit Administration), the Department of Transportation, and the White House that it must drop its hostility toward transit and follow the law. Congress and the administration should be working together to improve transportation options for all Americans, not making it more difficult.”

Major findings of the report included the average number of days it takes a new project to get through the final phase was 391 days, 219 more days than in 2017. The CIG share of new projects declined by more than 10 percent in the last two years. A change in the risk assessment process caused at least $845 million in extra costs for transit agencies as well as delays in approving projects.