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Transportation
Funds Slated for Dallas Light Rail
(texas.construction.com, April 2006 issue)
Fighting congestion on America's roadways
is the goal of a massive new investment in subway, light rail
and commuter rail projects, according to U.S. Transportation
Secretary Norman Y. Mineta, who recently announced a plan
to spend $1.5 billion on transit programs in U.S. cities including
Dallas.
The spending plan, included in President
Bush's budget submitted to Congress, provides for multi-year
funding for 23 existing projects and five new projects eligible
for funding based on progress.
The recommendations are part of the
Annual Report on New Starts for FY 2007. The New Starts report
includes $572 million in annual funding for 16 projects that
the federal government has already made long-term funding
commitments to, known as Full Funding Grant Agreements.
New this year is $303 million in funding
recommended for five new projects in four states. Of that,
$80 million is slated for a 21-mi. extension to the Dallas
Light Rail system to fight congestion in and out of the city's
central business district.
"As a nation choked with congestion,
we must turn to transit as one way to make it easier and faster
to get to work, relieve crowded roads and keep our economy
moving," said Mineta. "An investment in transit
is an investment in fighting congestion."
The report proposes full-funding grant
agreements for projects in five cities, including Dallas'
Northwest/Southeast Light Rail. According to the report: "The
21-mi. extension will provide fixed guideway transit service
in heavily traveled transportation corridors. From Dallas'
central business district, the line will extend northwest
10.9 mi. along IH-45 to the city of Farmer's Branch, and southeast
10.1 mi. to Buckner Boulevard. The project will provide an
alternative to congested highway facilities, increase transit
capacity, improve connectivity to regional activity centers
and provide economic development opportunities. The line will
carry nearly 46,000 average weekday riders, including 10,700
daily new riders, by 2025. The project will cost a total of
$1.4 billion."
A complete list of projects recommended
under FTA's Annual Report on New Starts is available by logging
on to fta.dot.gov.
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