The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) recently awarded the Spokane Transit Authority in Washington a $53.4 million Capital Investment Grants Program grant for the Central City Line Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project.
“FTA is proud to join our partners in Washington to improve public transportation in Spokane,” K. Jane Williams, FTA acting administrator, said. “The Central City Line BRT project will provide fast and efficient service, improving mobility and pedestrian access to convenient transit service.”
The project also will provide access to jobs and education, Williams said.
The $92.2 million Central City BRT project will extend BRT service 5.8 miles from Browne’s Addition, a National Register Historic District and residential area west of downtown, to an eastern terminus at Spokane Community College. The line will have six bus stops.
The transit authority requested $53.4 million in funding through FTA’s Capital Investment Grants Program. The program provides funding for major transit infrastructure projects.
Projects go through a multiyear, multistep process to receive grant funding. The FTA has advanced funding for 25 projects since January 2017, with funding commitments totaling approximately $7.5 billion.
The U.S. Department of Transportation announced last April funding would be available, but funds were not officially added to the project until Tuesday.