Wyden and Merkley Announce More than $12 Million in Transportation Grant Funding
Washington, D.C. – Continuing efforts to ensure that Oregon maintains its first-rate transportation infrastructure, U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) have announced the awarding of seven grants to improve bus transportation and passenger facilities in locations throughout the state. Awarded as part of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s State of Good Repair, Bus Livability and Transit Asset Management Grant program this funding will replace buses, construct passenger facilities and replace para-transit vehicles, among other projects.
“Funding transportation improvement projects is a key component of fostering economic growth,” Wyden said. “These projects are important to passengers in Eugene, Woodburn, Portland and Salem. They will improve the daily commutes for many Oregonians, make some vehicle fleets greener by replacing diesel buses with hybrid-electrics and make public transportation more efficient and reliable moving forward.”
“To compete in the 21st century economy, Oregon needs 21st century transportation options,” said Merkley. “These projects will boost economic growth, make us more energy independent, and benefit families and businesses in our communities.”
The list of projects and U.S. Department of Transportation descriptions are below:
1) Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon – Portland - $2,000,000
Ride Connection's Operations and Resource Center: A TOD model of community accessibility, sustainability and livability: The Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon (on behalf of Ride Connection) will use funds to support the construction of Glison Commons, a five-story, mixed-use, transit-oriented development which will include offices for the Ride Connection Operations and Resource Center in East Portland. The facility will include administrative offices, rooms for driver training and support programs, a call center, scheduling and dispatch facilities, meeting rooms and parking.
2) Oregon Department of Transportation – Woodburn - $44,400
City of Woodburn Six Passenger Shelters: Oregon DOT's Public Transit Division, on behalf of City of Woodburn, will construct six passenger shelters in rural, Woodburn, Oregon. They will be placed at key locations that are heavily used by many transit-dependent populations.
3) Lane Transit District – Eugene - $2,500,000
Vehicle Replacements: Lane Transit District will replace diesel buses that have met or exceeded their useful lives with hybrid-electric buses to increase rider capacity, reduce emissions and improve fuel efficiency.
4) Oregon Department of Transportation, Public Transit Division – Statewide - $2,000,000
Vehicle Replacements for Rural Transit Agencies: Oregon Department of Transportation, Public Transit Division, will replace vehicles for rural transit agencies. Replacement of these vehicles is necessary for continued safe, reliable transit operations and lower maintenance costs.
5) Salem Area Mass Transit District – Salem - $589,300
Paratransit Vehicle Replacements: Salem Area Mass Transit District (SAMTD) will replace paratransit buses that have met or exceeded their useful life with updated vehicles to better serve the paratransit customers in the community.
6) Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon – Portland - $5,000,000
Vehicle Replacements: Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon will replace buses in its fleet that have met or exceeded their useful lives with new state-of-the-art buses, significantly reducing maintenance costs as well as emissions.
7) Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation – Umatilla - $197,862
CTUIR Multi-Modal Transit Center Equipment: The Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) will construct a transit and fleet maintenance center to house its vehicle fleet. Because of the City of Pendleton's rapid growth in ridership, the Tribe's program has outgrown the space currently available to store, operate and maintain tribal transit vehicles.
Next Article
