The U.S. Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) recently awarded $12 million to the Memphis Area Transit Authority (MATA) for the development of a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) line across eight miles of Memphis.
The move was hailed by U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN), who earlier this year endorsed such a step in a letter to Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao. In all, the grant would allow for nine new electric buses in the area and 28 new transit stations. They would act as a link between downtown Memphis and its medical district.
“This grant is huge for Memphis,” Cohen said. “The $65.5 million Innovation Corridor project today’s grant supports includes elements of Memphis’s commitment to Complete Streets, including improvements to Union Avenue, sidewalks along Poplar Avenue, a pedestrian crosswalk at the Benjamin Hooks Library and access to bicycle routes. It will enhance both safety and employment opportunities for our city.”
The funds were provided as a Better Utilizing Investment to Leverage Development (BUILD) grant.