Coordination between public transit agencies and human service

agencies .--The Committee notes the success that Madison METRO in

Madison, WI, has had in coordinating with the State and county officials

on the provision of nonemergency Medicaid transportation. The Madison

experience contains valuable lessons and should be shared with other

public transit providers, particularly since many areas have had

difficulty achieving a coordinated effort. In order to foster the best

use of limited public resources, the Committee directs the Secretary of

Transportation, working with the Secretary of Health and Human Services

through the DOT/HHS Coordinating Council, to advance joint efforts to

create State and regional planning guidelines which promote

transportation coordination between public transit agencies and human

service transportation providers. The joint planning guidelines task

force, which was created to tackle this issue, is further encouraged to

work collaboratively with Madison METRO and the coalition for

paratransit solutions to ensure timely public transit agency input and

dissemination of the planning guidelines.

UNIVERSITY TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH

General fund Trust fund Total

Appropriations, 1998 $6,000,000 $6,000,000

Budget estimate, 1999 (\1\) (\1\)

Committee recommendation 1,200,000 $4,800,000 6,000,000

\1\Proposed to be funded within transit planning and research accounts.

Section 5505 of TEA21 provides authorization for the university

transportation centers program. The purpose of the university

transportation centers program is to become a national resource and

focal point for the support and conduct of research and training

concerning the transportation of passengers and property.

The Committee action provides $6,000,000 for the university

transportation centers program, the same level as provided in fiscal

year 1998.

TRANSIT PLANNING AND RESEARCH

General fund Trust fund Total

Appropriations, 1998\1\ $92,000,000 $92,000,000

Budget estimate, 1999 (highway trust fund) $91,900,000 91,900,000

Committee recommendation 19,800,000 78,200,000 98,000,000

\1\Excludes $500,000 reduction pursuant to Presidential line-item veto.

The Committee action provides $98,000,000 for transit planning and

research. The bill contains language specifying that $43,841,600 shall

be available for the metropolitan planning program; $5,250,000 for the

rural transit assistance program; $27,500,000 for the national planning

and research program; $9,158,400 for the State planning and research

program; $8,250,000 for transit cooperative research; and $4,000,000 for

the National Transit Institute. Under the national component of the

program, the Federal Transit Administration is a catalyst in the

research, development, and deployment of transportation methods and

technologies addressing such issues as accessibility for the disabled,

air quality, and traffic congestion service and operational

improvements. Funds for the State and local component of the program

will ensure that all localities have sufficient funds to improve the

State and local planning process and to participate in research efforts

with regional applications. The administration's request proposes to

fund the rural transit assistance program under formula programs and

include university transportation centers under this ``Transit planning

and research'' account.

The following table summarizes the Committee recommendation:

Fiscal year-- Committee recommendation

1998 program level 1999 budget estimate

Metropolitan planning $39,500,000 $39,500,000 $43,841,600

Rural transit assistance program 4,500,000 5,250,000

State planning and research program 8,250,000 8,250,000 9,158,400

Transit cooperative research program 8,250,000 8,250,000

National Transit Institute 3,000,000 3,000,000 4,000,000

National planning and research program\1\ 36,250,000 26,900,000 27,500,000

University transportation centers 6,000,000

-------------------- ---------------------- -------------

Total 91,500,000 91,900,000 98,000,000

\1\Reflects $500,000 Presidential line-item veto in fiscal year 1998.

The Committee action provides funding for a number of important

initiatives in fiscal year 1999. They are as follows:

National Transit Institute .--Of the funds provided, the Committee

recommends $1,000,000 be committed to transit workplace safety training.

Within the national planning and research program, the folowing

projects have been provided specific funding levels in the bill:

Calstart .--The Committee has provided $1,000,000 for two

transportation technology projects in the State of California: the Santa

Barbara Electric Transportation Institute and for the San Diego Clean

Fuel Ferry Program. The Committee directs the Secretary to work with the

CALSTART advanced transportation technology consortium to fund a

feasibility analysis and preliminary implementation plan for clean fuel

ferry service in the San Diego area. The Committee also notes that the

Santa Barbara ETI is eligible for formula funding under the new clean

fuels formula program and the capital investment grant bus set-aside

program for clean fuels bus projects.

City of Branson congestion study .--The Committee is aware of

Branson, MO, severe traffic congesting and the urgent need to explore

transportation alternatives. The Committee has provided $450,000 for the

city of Branson to undertake a transportation investment analysis to

develop and evaluate mobility alternatives.

Special Olympics planning and assistance .--The Committee has

provided $1,500,000 for transportation system support for the 1999

Special Olympics World Summer Games, to be held in the

Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill Triangle in North Carolina from June 26

through July 4, 1999. This funding complements other Federal agency

participation in the games, which will be the largest multisport event

in the world during 1999.

Skagit County north sound connecting communities project .--The

Committee has provided $50,000 for the Skagit County Council of

Governments North Sound connecting communities project (the Cascadia

project). The Cascadia project will recommend enhanced intercounty

connections to expanded service on the Northwest passenger rail corridor

between Seattle and Vancouver, BC, including local and intercounty

transit, auto, and passenger-only ferry service, intercity coach and

airporter service. The allocation shall be matched equally with State,

local, and private sector funds.

Project Action. --The Committee recognizes the ongoing efforts of

Easter Seals Project Action, and supports a continued active role for

Project Action in the Federal Transit Administration's national planning

and research program specialized transit services activity. Consistent

with TEA21, the annual setaside for project action is increased from

$2,000,000 to $3,000,000.

Olympics security training and assistance .--The Committee has

provided $1,000,000 for the Salt Lake City, UT Winter 2002 Olympics

transit training and security programs. The funds will be used for

training operators and mechanics of both bus and light rail operations,

and for training security personnel for the Utah Transit Authority

system and facilities.

Desert air quality .--The Committee has provided $500,000 for a

comprehensive analysis of air quality in Las Vegas, NV, by the Desert

Research Institute, to develop a remote pollution sensing program to

identify high-emitting vehicles, study air pollution transport from the

Los Angeles Basin, develop emission reductions strategies, and study the

impact of air pollution in desert climates.

Vegetation control techniques on rail right-of-way .--The Committee

has provided $250,000 for a survey of known effective vegetation control

technologies currently in use on rail rights-of-way throughout the

United States. Vegetation growth that encroaches on the right-of-way is

a problem common to commuter and freight carriers throughout the county.

However, many States are considering moratoria on herbicide use as

public interest in pursuing alternatives to chemical control of

vegetation increases. FTA is directed to work with the Federal Railroad

Administration to conduct demonstration testing of vegetation control

technologies in cooperation with commuter or freight railroad carriers

that express interest in participating in this research program.

Zinc-air battery .--The Committee recognizes that a demonstration

program for alternative, renewable, and clean transportation

technologies has been authorized for implementation in southern Nevada.

This comparative framework provides valuable opportunity to assess the

relative merits of these emerging technology options. Accordingly, the

Committee directs FTA to provide $1,000,000 to continue and expand the

zinc-air bus demonstration project in Las Vegas, NV.

Virtual transit enterprise [VTE] .--The Committee has provided

$1,400,000 for phase II of the virtual transit enterprise, a science and

technology collaboration between the South Carolina Department of

Transportation and the South Carolina Research Authority designed to

improve efficiency and reduce the cost of operations of South Carolina

transit providers through the use of distributed information technology.

In addition to the initiatives listed above, the Committee reaffirms

the transit planning and research grants from the national program that

were contained in sec. 3012 of the Transportation Equity Act:

North Orange-South Seminole County, FL, fixed guideway ITS application $750,000

Galveston, TX, fixed guideway ITS activities 750,000

Washoe County, NV, transit technology 1,250,000

Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority advanced electric transit buses and related infrastructure 1,500,000

Palm Springs, CA, fuel cell buses 1,000,000

Gloucester, MA, intermodal technology center 1,500,000

Southeastern Pennsylvania Transit Authority advanced propulsion control system 2,000,000

However, the Committee notes that, according to the ITS Joint Program

Office, any and all of these projects could be funded within the

intelligent transportation system program.

TRUST FUND SHARE OF EXPENSES

(Liquidation of Contract Authorization)

(highway trust fund)

Appropriations, 1998\1\ $2,260,000,000

Budget estimate, 1999 ...........................

Committee recommendation 2,446,200,000

\1\Includes $50,000,000 made available in section 607 of Public

Law 105 78.

For fiscal year 1999, the Committee has provided $2,446,200,000 in

liquidating cash for the trust fund share of transit expenses associated

with the following programs: administrative expenses, formula grants,

university transportation research, transit planning and research, and

job access and reverse commute grants. This level of funds is equal to

the total budget authority from the highway trust fund inside the

transit firewall as outlined in the transportation discretionary

spending guarantee subtitle of the Transportation Equity Act for the

21st Century.

CAPITAL INVESTMENT GRANTS

(Limitation on Obligations)

(Highway Trust Fund)

Appropriations, 1998 $2,000,000,000

Budget estimate, 1999 876,114,857

Committee recommendation 2,257,000,000

Section 5309 of 49 U.S.C. authorizes discretionary grants or loans to

States and local public bodies and agencies thereof to be used in

financing mass transportation investments. Under the Transportation

Equity Act, investments may include construction of new fixed guideway

systems; extensions to existing guideway systems; major bus fleet

expansions; and fixed guideway expenditures for existing older systems.

The administration's request proposes to combine the funding for bus and

bus-related activities and fixed guideway modernization with the formula

programs. Therefore, under the administration's proposal, only new fixed

guideway systems or extensions--major capital investments--would be

funded in this account.

The Committee action provides a level of $2,257,000,000. Within this

total, $1,805,600,000 is from the ``Mass transit'' account of the

highway trust fund, and no more than $451,400,000 shall be appropriated

from general funds. The following table summarizes the Committee

recommendations:

[In thousands of dollars]

1998 program level Fiscal year 1999 budget estimate Committee recommendations

Bus and bus facilities 400,000 451,400

Fixed guideway modernization 800,000 902,800

New systems and new extensions 800,000 876,115 902,800

-------------------- ---------------------------------- ---------------------------

Total 2,000,000 876,115 2,257,000

Three-year availability of section 3 discretionary funds .--The

Committee has redistributed unallocated discretionary bus and new starts

funds from projects which were funded in the fiscal year 1996

Transportation appropriations bill (Public Law 104 50) and previous acts

making these funds available for reallocation in fiscal year 1999. As in

previous years, a general provision (sec. 317) is included which limits

funding availability for these fiscal year 1999 discretionary funds,

except fixed-guideway modernization funds, to 3 years from enactment.

Under the 3-year availability rule, funding provided in fiscal year

1996 for the following bus and bus-related projects will lapse if the

grant recipients do not obligate the remaining unobligated funds by

September 30, 1998.

Remaining

unobligated funds

Norwich, CT, bus transfer/parking facility $1,488,750

Buffalo, NY, Crossroads intermodal station 496,250

Albany, NY, CNG buses 4,962,500

New Rochelle, NY, intermodal facility 744,375

Rensselaer, NY, intermodal station 5,843,750

Erie, PA, intermodal complex 3,970,000

Nashville, TN, electric buses 297,750

Peoria, IL, transfer facility 714,601

Arkansas, buses 794,000

Saint Bernard Parish, LA, intermodal facility 1,488,750

San Diego, CA, San Ysidro intermodal center 4,674,500

The Committee urges the grant recipients noted above to move swiftly

to obligate these funds. When the transportation appropriations

conferees meet later this year, any unobligated funds in the bus or new

systems accounts that were earmarked in fiscal year 1996 or prior will

be available for reprogramming under the 3-year availability rule.

Honolulu buses and bus facilities .--Funds provided in Public Law

104 50 for the Honolulu/Oahu Kuakini Medical Center are reprogrammed for

buses and bus facilities for the city and county of Honolulu, HI.

BUS AND BUS FACILITIES

The Committee recommendation for bus and bus facilities funding is

$451,400,000, which is 20 percent of the total made available for

capital investment grants. These funds may be used to replace,

rehabilitate, and purchase buses and related equipment and to construct

bus-related facilities. Under TEA21, there are three set-asides from bus

funds within the allocation of discretionary bus grants: $3,000,000 is

made available for the Altoona, PA, bus testing facility; $50,000,000 is

made available only for grants that meet the 49 U.S.C. section 5308

Clean Fuels Formula Grant Program standards, and $4,850,000 is made

available for qualifying fuel cell bus projects.

The Committee has included bill language that delineates a number of

eligible bus and bus facilities projects, and directs the Federal

Transit Administrator to submit to the congressional appropriations and

authorizing committees, within 60 days of enactment of the fiscal year

1999 appropriations legislation, a grant recommendation list choosing

from among the projects listed in the appropriations bill. This list is

inclusive of all bus and bus facilities projects that were included in

the TEA21 legislation (sec. 3031), as well as projects that have been

brought to the Appropriations Committee's attention as being meritorious

and in need of Federal assistance.

The Committee recommends the following projects for funding under

this program.

AC Transit electric bus program, CA

Albany, NY paratransit buses and facilities

Albuquerque, NM buses and bus facilities

Alexandria, VA King Street Station access

Alexandria, VA bus maintenance facility

Allegheny County, PA buses and intermodal station

Altoona, PA Metro Transit Authority buses

Altoona, PA pedestrian crossover

Altoona, PA Metro Transit Authority Logan Valley Mall suburban

transfer center

Anacortes, WA ferry terminal information system

Anchorage, AK Ship Creek intermodal facility

Arkansas statewide bus needs

Armstrong County-Mid County, PA bus facilities and buses

Atlanta, GA MARTA buses

Austin, TX Capital Metro bus replacement

Babylon, NY intermodal center

Beaver County, PA transit facility

Bellingham, WA Whatcom Transit Authority bus maintenance facility

Berlin, NH Tri-County Community Action transit garage

Birmingham, AL intermodal facility

Birmingham-Jefferson County, AL buses

Boston, MA Logan Airport intermodal buses

Boston, MA Charles Street/MA General Hospital ``T'' Station

Rehabilitation

Boston, MA South Station intermodal center connection link

Boulder/Denver, CO RTD buses

Bradford County, PA Endless Mountain Transportation Authority buses

Brattleboro, VT Union Station multimodal center

Brazos, TX Transit Authority buses and facilities

Bremerton, WA Sinclair's Landing, multimodal center

Brockton, MA intermodal transportation center

Brookhaven Town, NY elderly and disabled buses and vans

Brooklyn-Staten Island, NY mobility enhancement buses

Broome County, NY buses and fare collection equipment

Broward County, FL buses

Buffalo, NY Crossroads intermodal station

Buffalo, NY Auditorium intermodal center

Burlington, VT ferry terminal improvemets

Burlington, VT multimodal center

Butte, MT bus replacements

California I 5 corridor intermodal transit centers

Cambria County, PA bus facilities and buses

Carroll County, NH transportation alliance buses

Cedar Rapids, IA Ground Transportation Center

Centre Area, PA Transportation Authority buses

Chambersburg, PA Transit Authority buses and intermodal center

Chelan, WA Chelan-Douglas multimodal center

Chester County, PA Paoli transportation center

Clark County, NV RTC CNG fueling facility

Clark County, NV Regional Transportation Commission buses

Cleveland, OH Triskett Garage bus maintenance facility

Clinton, WA ferry terminal

Colorado statewide buses

Columbia, SC bus replacement

Concord Area Transit, NH buses

Corpus Christi, TX transit authority buses and facilities

Crawford Area, PA buses

Culver City, CA CityBus buses

Dade County, FL Metro-Dade Transit Agency replacement buses

Dallas, TX Dallas Area Rapid Transit buses

Davis, CA Unitrans transit maintenance facility

Davis/Sacramento CA hydrogen bus technology validation

Dayton, OH multimodal transportation center

Daytona, FL intermodal center

Deerfield Valley, VT Transit Authority

Demonstration of universal electric transportation subsystems

(DUETS), bus system, NM

Denver, CO Stapleton intermodal center

Des Moines, IA intermodal facility

Dothan, AL Wiregrass Transit Authority demand response shuttle buses

and transit facility

Duluth, MN Transit Authority community circulation vehicles

Duluth, MN Transit Authority intelligent transportation systems

Duluth, MN Transit Authority transit hub

Dutchess County, NY Loop System buses

East Hampton, NY elderly and disabled buses and vans

El Paso, TX Sun Metro demand response, maintenance, and terminal

facility

Erie, PA Metropolitan Transit Authority buses

Essex and Middlesex Counties, MA buses

Eugene, OR Lane Transit District buses

Everett, WA multimodal transportation center

Fairbanks, AK intermodal rail/bus transfer facility

Fayette County, PA intermodal facilities and buses

Fayetteville, AR University of Arkansas Transit System buses

Folsom, CA Railroad block project

Fort Ord, CA multi-modal transportation center

Fort Dodge, IA Intermodal Facility

Fort Worth, TX buses

Frankford, PA Septa transportation center

Galveston, TX alternative fuel buses

Gary, IN Transit Consortium buses

Georgetown University fuel cell bus development and manufacturing

Gloucester, MA intermodal transportation center

Grand Forks, Fargo, Bismarck-Mandan and Minot, ND buses

Grant County, WA buses and vans

Greater Laconia, NH Transit Agency buses

Greensboro, NC Transit Authority buses and vans

Greensboro, NC multimodal center

Harrison County, MS multimodal center/hybrid electric shuttle buses

Harrisonburg, VA buses

Hartford, CT transportation access project

Healdsburg, CA intermodal facility

Honolulu, HI bus facility and buses

Hot Springs, AR transportation depot and plaza

Humboldt, CA intermodal facility

Huntington Beach, CA senior center shuttle buses

Huntington, WV intermodal facility

Huntsville, AL U.S. Space and Rocket Center intermodal facility

Hyannis, MA intermodal transportation center

Illinois statewide buses and bus-related equipment

Indianapolis, IN buses

Iowa/Illinois Transit Consortium bus safety and security

Iowa statewide bus request

Ithaca, NY TCAT bus technology improvements

Jackson, MS buses and facilities

Jacksonville, FL Transit Authority buses and mini transit center

Jasper, AL buses

Johnson County, KS bus maintenance/operations facility

Kansas City, MO Union Station redevelopment

Kansas City, MO two-way radios; farebox system; facility repair

Keene, NH HCS community care buses and equipment

King County/Kingdome, WA pedestrian bridges

King County, WA Metro transit transfer facilities

Lackawanna County, PA Transit System buses

Lake Tahoe, CA intermodal terminal

Lake Tahoe, CA alternative fuels station

Lake Tahoe, CA coordinated transit system

Lakeland, FL Citrus Connection transit vehicles/equipment

Lane County, OR bus rapid transit

Lansing, MI CATA bus technology improvements

Las Vegas, NV RTC South Resort Corridor transit center

Las Vegas, NV Citizen Area Transit System

Las Cruces, NM buses, facilities and park and ride

Lebanon, NH advance transit buses

Lee County, AL buses

Little Rock, AR Central Arkansas Transit buses

Little Rock, AR New Harbor Inlet intermodal center

Livermore-Ardmore Valley, CA automatic vehicle locator program

Long Island, NY CNG transit vehicles and facilities

Long Island, NY bus replacement

Long Beach, NY central bus facility

Los Angeles County, CA Foothills transit buses

Los Angeles County, CA Metropolitan Transportation Authority bus

replacement

Los Angeles, CA Foothills transit bus maintenance facility

Los Angeles, CA San Fernando Valley smart shuttle buses

Los Angeles, CA Union Station Gateway intermodal transit center

Los Angeles, CA municipal transit operators consortium

Louisiana statewide bus request

Louisville, Kentucky University of Louisville and River City buses

Lynchburg, VA buses

Market Street, NJ bus maintenance facility

Maryland statewide bus facilities and buses

Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority statewide bus replacement

Mercer County, PA buses

Miami-Dade, FL buses

Miami Beach, FL electric shuttle service

Michigan statewide buses

Milwaukee, WI train station improvements

Milwaukee County, WI buses

Mineola/Hicksville, NY LIRR intermodal centers

Minnesota Metro transit buses

Minnesota I 35 corridor transit stations

Missouri statewide bus and bus facilities

Mobile, AL bus replacement

Mobile, AL intermodal facilities

Modesto, CA bus maintenance facility

Monroe County, PA Transportation Authority buses

Monroe, LA maintenance facility

Monterey, CA Monterey-Salinas buses

Montgomery, AL Union Station intermodal center and buses

Morongo Basin, CA Transit Authority bus facility

Mount Vernon, WA multimodal center

New York City, CNG buses and refueling station

New Orleans, LA RTA maintenance facility

New York, NY West 72nd St. intermodal station

New Jersey statewide buses and bus facilities

New Hampshire statewide transit systems

New Haven, CT bus facility

New Bedford/Fall River, MA mobile access to health care

New Rochelle, NY intermodal center

New Mexico statewide buses and bus facilities, including northern New

Mexico park and ride

New Jersey Transit jitney shuttle buses

Newark, NJ Morris and Essex Station access and buses

Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority Hublink, NY

North Slope Borough, AK buses

North Carolina statewide buses and bus facilities

North Dakota statewide buses and bus-related facilities

Northern Kentucky Area Development District senior citizen buses

Northstar Corridor, MN intermodal facilities and buses

Norwich, CT buses

Oak Park, IL Marion Street multimodal transit center

OATS Transit, MO

Ogden, UT Intermodal Center

Ohio statewide buses and bus facilities

Oklahoma statewide bus facilities and buses

Olympia, WA bus replacement

Olympic Peninsula, WA International Gateway transportation center

Omnitrans, CA replacement buses

Oneida County, NY Union Station intermodal facility

Oneida County, NY buses and equipment

Orlando, FL Lynx buses and bus facilities

Orlando, FL Downtown intermodal facility

Pee Dee, SC Regional Transportation Authority

Pennsylvania statewide request for small communities

Perris, CA bus maintenance facility

Phenix City, AL express transit system

Philadelphia, PA Market Street bus maintenance facility

Philadelphia, PA Frankford transportation center

Philadelphia, PA Septa ADA bus acquisition

Philadelphia, PA 30th Street intermodal station

Philadelphia, PA regional transportation system for elderly and disabled

Phoenix, AZ alternatively fueled buses

Pittsfield, MA intermodal center

Portland, OR Tri-Met buses

Potomac and Rappahanock, VA Trans Commission buses

Poughkeepsie, NY intermodal facility

Prichard, AL bus transfer facility

Providence, RI buses and bus maintenance facility

Rankin County, MI Intermodal Connector

Reading, PA BARTA intermodal transportation facility

Red Rose, PA transit bus terminal

Reno, NV RTC transit passenger and facility security improvements

Rensselear, NY intermodal facility

Rhode Island Public Transit Authority buses

Rialto, CA Metrolink depot

Richland, WA Ben Franklin Transit maintenance, operation, and

administration facility

Richmond, VA Main Street station

Richmond, VA GRTC bus maintenance facility

Riverhead, NY elderly and disabled buses and vans

Riverside, CA Transit Agency buses, facilities and ITS applications

Roanoke, VA buses

Robinson, PA Towne Center intermodal facility

Rochester-Genessee, NY CNG buses

Rochester, NY Rochester central bus facility

Rogue Valley, OR transit district bus purchase

Rome, NY intermodal center

Rural Texas bus replacement

Sacramento, CA intermodal station

Sacramento, CA CNG buses

Salem, OR area mass transit buses

San Francisco, CA Islais Creek maintenance facility

San Joaquin, CA buses and facilities

San Juan, Puerto Rico intermodal access

Santa Clarita, CA facilities and buses

Santa Cruz, CA bus facility

Santa Rosa/Cotati, CA intermodal transportation facilities

Santa Clara, CA Valley Transportation Authority buses

Savannah, GA Chatham buses and bus facilities

Savannah, GA downtown multimodal center

Seattle RTA buses

Seattle, WA intermodal transportation terminal

Seward, AK intermodal facility

Shelter Island, NY elderly and disabled buses and vans

Sinclair Landing transit facility, WA

Sioux Falls, SD buses

Sioux City, IA park and ride bus facility

Smithtown, NY elderly and disabled buses and vans

Solano Links, CA intercity transit consortium

Solano County, CA automated vehicle locator

Somerset County, PA bus facilities and buses

Sonoma County, CA intermodal center

South Bend, IN urban intermodal transportation facility

South Carolina statewide Virtual Transit Enterprise

South Dakota computerized bus dispatch system, radios, money boxes,

lift replacements

South Amboy, NJ regional intermodal transportation initiative

South Dakota statewide bus facilities and buses

Southampton, NY elderly and disabled buses and vans

Southeast Missouri transportation services

Southold, NY elderly and disabled buses and vans

Spartanburg, SC intermodal facility

Springfield, MA Union Station

Springfield/Branson, MO bus terminal

St. Louis, MO Bi-state intermodal center

St. Louis, MO Care-Cab

St. Louis, MO Bi-State development agency bus replacement

Suffolk County, NY elderly and disabled buses and vans

Syracuse, NY CNG buses and facilities

Tacoma, WA Tacoma Dome station

Tampa, FL Hartline buses

Tampa, FL Ybor intermodal station (Hillsborough Area Regional Transit

Authority)

Tennessee statewide bus and facility replacement

Texas statewide small urban and rural buses

Tompkins County, NY new technology project

Towamencin Township, PA intermodal bus transportation center

Tucson, AZ alternatively fueled buses

Tuscaloosa, AL intermodal center

Ukiah, CA transportation center

Ulster County, NY bus garage and equipment

University of North Alabama, pedestrian walkways

Utah Olympics park and ride lots

Utah Olympics intermodal transportation centers

Utah Hybrid electric vehicle bus purchase

Utah Transit Authority/Park City Transit, UT buses

Utah Transit Authority, UT intermodal facilities

Utica and Rome, NY bus facilities and buses

Utica, NY Union Station

Vancouver, WA C-Tran Seventh Street transit center expansion

Vancouver, WA I 5 park and ride lots

Vermont statewide bus needs

Volusia County, FL bus systems integrated fleet operations system

Washington County, PA intermodal facilities

Washington, Community Transit bus replacement

Washington statewide buses

Washington RTA buses

Washington, D.C. intermodal transportation center

Washoe County, NV transit improvements

Waterbury, CT bus facility

Waukesha, WI downtown transit center

West Virginia statewide intermodal facility and buses

Westchester County, NY DOT articulated buses

Westchester County, NY Bee-Line transit system shuttle buses and

fareboxes

Westfield, MA intermodal center

Westmoreland County, PA intermodal facility

Wilkes-Barre, PA intermodal facility

Williamsport, PA bus facility

Wilsonville, OR buses and bus shelters

Windsor, CA intermodal facility

Wisconsin statewide bus facilities and buses

Woodland Hills, CA Warner Center transportation hub

Worcester, MA Union Station intermodal transportation center

Yonkers, NY intermodal facility

Yosemite area, CA regional transportation strategies

FIXED GUIDEWAY MODERNIZATION

The Committee recommends a total of $902,800,000 for the

modernization of existing rail transit systems. Under TEA21 all of the

funds are distributed by formula. The following table itemizes the

fiscal year 1999 rail modernization allocations by State:

Fixed guideway modernization apportionments

State

Apportionment

Alabama ...........................

Alaska ...........................

American Samoa ...........................

Arizona $1,240,236

Arkansas ...........................

California 83,594,745

Colorado 1,132,463

Connecticut 34,548,995

Delaware 661,223

District of Columbia 28,912,935

Florida 11,206,655

Georgia 15,834,034

Guam ...........................

Hawaii 498,050

Idaho ...........................

Illinois 108,868,175

Indiana 7,307,446

Iowa ...........................

Kansas ...........................

Kentucky ...........................

Louisiana 2,648,872

Maine ...........................

Maryland 21,397,326

Massachusetts 59,250,813

Michigan 361,728

Minnesota 2,694,403

Mississippi ...........................

Missouri 1,695,212

Montana ...........................

Nebraska ...........................

Nevada ...........................

New Hampshire ...........................

New Jersey 81,197,462

New Mexico ...........................

New York 300,062,837

North Carolina ...........................

North Dakota ...........................

Ohio 14,775,328

Oklahoma ...........................

Oregon 2,483,658

Pennsylvania 94,063,790

Puerto Rico 1,468,302

Rhode Island 1,833,110

South Carolina ...........................

South Dakota ...........................

Tennessee 47,600

Texas 4,607,963

Utah ...........................

Vermont ...........................

Virgin Islands ...........................

Virginia 504,285

Washington 12,613,895

West Virginia ...........................

Wisconsin 517,458

Wyoming ...........................

896,029,000

Oversight 6,771,000

902,800,000

NEW SYSTEMS

The bill provides $902,800,000 for new starts. These funds are

available for preliminary engineering, right-of-way acquisition, project

management, oversight, and construction for new systems and extensions.

According to specific project needs, these funds shall also be available

for preliminary stages of projects named for funding. Under section

3009(g) of TEA21, there is an 8-percent statutory cap on the amount made

available for activities other than final design and construction--that

is, alternatives analysis, environmental impact statements, preliminary

engineering, major investment studies, and other predesign and

preconstruction activities. Within the total of $902,800,000 for new

systems, no more than $72,224,000 may be allocated for these activities.

The funds are to be distributed as follows:

Project

Recommendation

Alaska and/or Hawaii ferry projects $10,400,000

Albuquerque/Santa Fe regional multimodal transportation 2,500,000

Albuquerque light rail project 10,000,000

Atlanta--MARTA North Springs project 55,000,000

Austin Capital Metro preliminary engineering 2,000,000

Baltimore central downtown MIS 1,000,000

Baltimore light rail double-track project 2,000,000

BART to San Francisco Airport extension and San Jose Tasman West extension 37,600,000

Birmingham light rail feasibility study 1,000,000

Boston North-South rail link 1,000,000

Boston--South Boston Piers MOS 2 project 53,983,000

Boston urban ring 1,500,000

Burlington-Essex, VT, commuter rail 4,000,000

Charleston, SC, monobeam rail project 3,000,000

Charlotte, NC, North-South Corridor Transitway 3,000,000

Chicago Metra commuter rail extensions and upgrades 19,000,000

Chicago CTA Ravenswood and Douglas Branch Lines 4,000,000

Cincinnati Northeast/Northern Kentucky rail line 3,600,000

Cleveland Berea red line MIS 1,000,000

Cleveland Euclid corridor improvement project 4,000,000

Colorado--North Front Range corridor feasibility study (Greeley-Fort Collins) 500,000

Dallas DART north central light rail extension 20,500,000

Denver southwest corridor light rail project 40,000,000

Denver southeast corridor multimodal corridor 1,000,000

Fort Lauderdale, FL, Tri-County commuter rail 10,000,000

Fort Worth Railtran 12,000,000

Galveston, TX, rail trolley system extension 1,000,000

Harrisburg, PA, capitol area transit/corridor one 2,000,000

Hartford, CT light rail 3,300,000

Honolulu major investment analysis 1,000,000

Houston Metro regional bus plan 59,670,000

Jacksonville light rail/bus corridors study 1,000,000

Johnson County, KS, I 35 commuter rail project 1,500,000

Kansas City, MO, commuter rail study 500,000

Kenosha-Racine-Milwaukee, WI, commuter rail 1,000,000

King County, WA Elliott Bay water taxi 250,000

Knoxville, TN, transit program 2,000,000

Largo, MD, Metro extension 2,000,000

Las Vegas resort corridor fixed guideway system 4,000,000

LIRR East Side access project, New York 40,000,000

Little Rock, AR, Arkansas River rail project 4,000,000

Los Angeles MOS 3 project 30,000,000

MARC commuter rail improvements 17,000,000

Memphis Medical Center rail extension 2,200,000

Massachusetts North Shore corridor project 1,500,000

Miami Metrorail Palmetto extension 3,000,000

Miami East-West corridor 4,000,000

Miami North corridor transitway to Broward County 8,000,000

Morgantown, WV, fixed guideway modernization 4,500,000

Nashville regional commuter rail 2,500,000

New Jersey urban core Hudson-Bergen light rail 70,000,000

New Jersey urban core Newark-Elizabeth Rail Link 12,000,000

New London, CT waterfront access project 1,000,000

New York City, Kennedy class ferryboat replacement 12,000,000

Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority light rail car rebuild 2,000,000

Norfolk-Virginia Beach corridor 20,000,000

Northern Indiana commuter rail (south shore) project 6,000,000

Old Saybrook-Hartford rail extension project 500,000

Orlando Lynx light rail project 20,000,000

Philadelphia to Pittsburgh high-speed magnetic levitation 500,000

Philadelphia-Reading SEPTA Schuylkill Valley Metro 6,500,000

Philadelphia SEPTA Cross County Metro 1,000,000

Pittsburgh Allegheny County Stage II light rail 5,000,000

Pittsburgh Airborne Shuttle System 5,000,000

Pittsburgh North Shore central business district MIS 1,000,000

Portland Westside and South-North light rail projects 26,700,000

Puget Sound RTA Link light rail 13,000,000

Puget Sound RTA Sounder commuter rail 47,000,000

Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill Triangle Transit 14,000,000

Sacramento South corridor LRT extension 23,480,000

Salt Lake City South light rail project 70,000,000

Salt Lake City/Airport to University (West-East) light rail 8,000,000

San Diego-Mission Valley and Mid-Coast Corridors 5,000,000

San Juan Tren Urbano 19,967,000

Santa Fe rail link 2,000,000

Sioux City micro rail trolley system, planning 250,000

South DeKalb-Lindbergh Corridor LRT 1,000,000

Southeast Michigan commuter rail viability study 200,000

St. George Terminal project, NY 10,000,000

St. Louis METRO Link/St. Clair County (IL) LRT 35,000,000

St. Louis-Jefferson City-Kansas City, MO commuter rail 500,000

Stamford, CT fixed guideway connector 2,700,000

Tampa Bay regional rail project 1,000,000

Whitehall Ferry Terminal, NY 15,000,000

Note. --Of the funds provided for Los Angeles Metro Rail,

$24,000,000 are reprogrammed from funds provided in fiscal year 1998.

PROJECT DESCRIPTIONS

Alaska and/or Hawaii ferry .--The Committee recommends $10,400,000

for Alaska and/or Hawaii ferry projects. Section 3009 of TEA21

authorizes $10,400,000 of new starts funds to be made available each

year for capital ferry projects in Alaska and Hawaii. Eligible purposes

include new fixed guideway systems such as ferryboats, extensions to

existing systems, ferry terminal facilities, and approaches to ferry

terminal facilities. The State of Alaska, due to its isolated nature,

relies on ferries to connect many of the coastal islands and towns. The

State operates the Alaska Marine Highway, a system of 17 vessels,

primarily in the southeast part of the State. There are still a number

of isolated communities in the State which rely on access by water or

air, since a road system is simply not developed. The State of Hawaii is

nearing the initiation of interisland ferry service to improve its

transportation infrastructure. The addition of ferry service will

provide an alternative to air-only options.

Albuquerque/Santa Fe regional multimodal transportation .--The

Committee recommends $2,500,000 for a regional major investment study to

identify and establish both a near and long-term multimodal

transportation system for the Albuquerque/Santa Fe region of New Mexico.

The study shall provide a comprehensive assessment of travel corridors

in northern New Mexico, and shall outline a full alternatives analysis

for each of these corridors. The administration has not been responsive

to directives from the Committee to perform this study that were

contained in both the 1998 appropriations bill and 1998 supplemental

appropriations bill, and the Committee expects that this funding

provided herein will be promptly utilized for the regional

transportation study.

Albuquerque light rail project .--The city of Albuquerque has

developed a proposed light rail system that is authorized in the new

starts projects section of TEA21. The middle Rio Grande region of

central New Mexico is the most rapidly growing area of the State, with

population projected to grow to 1 million people by 2020, one-third more

than currently live in the area. While the road system is being

expanded, it cannot keep pace with the rapid growth and limitations of

geography, including rugged mountains and large areas of tribal

reservation lands. Air quality standards are becoming an increasing

concern with this rapid growth. The Committee recommends $10,000,000 for

major investment studies, preliminary engineering, right-of-way

acquisition, and an environmental impact statement for a light rail

system in the Albuquerque metropolitan area.

Atlanta-MARTA North Springs extension. --The Committee recommends

$55,000,000 for the Atlanta-MARTA North Springs extension project. This

1.9-mile, two-station extension from the Dunwoody Station to North

Springs is part of the larger 9-mile, five-station North Line extension

to the MARTA heavy rail rapid transit system. The segment from Buckhead

to Dunwoody opened in June 1996. The North Line extension will serve the

rapidly growing area north of Atlanta, and will connect this area with

the rest of the region by providing better transit service for both

commuters and inner-city residents. The local share commitment for the

federally funded portion of this extension is 20 percent. The

cost-effectiveness index is $5 per new passenger trip. FTA has

determined that the grantee has the financial capacity to build and

operate this project. An FFGA for the Dunwoody to North Springs segment

was issued in December 1994 for $305,010,400 in section 5309 funds. The

current cost estimate for the project totals $487,700,000. The sum of

$208,146,866 has been made available in appropriated funds through

fiscal year 1998.

Austin Capital Metro--Northwest/North Central corridor. --The

Committee recommends $2,000,000 for Austin Capital Metro for preliminary

engineering for the proposed light rail project in north Austin, to

serve the central business district, the State capitol, and the rapidly

growing population and employment centers of the city. Capital Metro and

the Texas Department of Transportation have recently completed a major

investment study in March 1997 which identifies a 30-mile LRT as the

locally preferred alternative. The initial cost estimate totals

$182,300,000.

Baltimore downtown central MIS .--The Committee recommends

$1,000,000 to conduct a major investment study in Baltimore in the

central downtown business district. This funding will allow Baltimore to

study a range of available technologies and alternatives and,

ultimately, to determine a locally preferred alternative, to address

heavy traffic congestion in the core area of downtown.

Baltimore light rail double track project .--The Committee

recommends $2,000,000 for double-tracking existing rail line in the city

of Baltimore, for the purpose of initiating light rail transit services.

BART to San Francisco airport and San Jose Tasman west extensions.

--The Committee recommends $37,600,000 for the BART to San Francisco

airport extension and the San Jose Tasman west extension. Local

officials in the San Francisco area have proposed a four-station,

8.7-mile extension of the bay area transit [BART] system from Colma to

an intermodal station at Millbrae with a spur serving the San Francisco

International Airport. The proposed route would serve the cities of

south San Francisco and San Bruno, connect with the airport, and

continue to Millbrae. However, BART is deferring letting construction

bids on the south San Francisco and the San Bruno stations until later

this year. The majority of the proposed route is to follow a combination

of existing and abandoned railroad rights-of-way. An FFGA was issued in

1997, in the amount of $750,000,000. To date, Congress has provided

$113,726,474 in appropriated funds for the project.

The Committee has followed the progress of this line with great

interest and some concern. The SFO Airport/Millbrae extension has

incurred serious cost overruns, documented by GAO. Through the use of

contingency funds and additional funds from the State of California,

these costs are being met within the project budget. The Committee also

notes that BART is projecting an initial fare on the SFO/Millbrae line

of $4.50 one way from downtown San Francisco to the airport. This is the

highest transit-to-airport fare in the country (average

transit-to-airport fare is $1.50). The Committee is concerned that this

high fare may reduce patronage below EIS projections.

The San Jose Tasman LRT project consists of 7.6 miles of surface LRT

from the northern terminus of the Guadalupe LRT in Santa Clara, west

through Sunnyvale, to the CalTrain commuter rail station in Mountain

View. The project will include 11 stations and will be double tracked

except for partial single tracking between Mountain View and Lockheed

Station. The west extension is estimated to cost $342,500,000. In 1994,

Santa Clara County District entered into an FFGA totaling $182,750,000

for the west extension, and the requested funding for fiscal year 1999

under the FFGA is $35,000,000. To date appropriations totaling

$124,080,786 have been made available for this project.

Birmingham, AL, light rail feasibility study .--The Committee

recommends $1,000,000 for a transit alternatives analysis and

feasibility study in Birmingham, AL. Birmingham is the most congested

city in the State, and the city has been declared an EPA nonattainment

area.

Boston north-south rail link .--The Committee recommends $1,000,000

for a major investment study, being conducted by the Massachusetts Bay

Transportation Authority [MBTA], to examine transit options in the

corridor between North Station and South Station in downtown Boston. The

alternatives under consideration include various configurations of a

rail tunnel which would permit through commuter rail trains to serve

both downtown stations. Currently, MBTA commuter rail service is split

into two completely separate services, one serving the North Station and

one serving the South Station. A feasibility study on the proposed

corridor was completed in 1995. Currently, the major investment study

[MIS] is considering tunnel alternatives under the Boston central

artery. Through fiscal year 1998, Congress has appropriated $250,000 for

this effort.

Boston-South Boston Piers MOS 2 project. --The Committee recommends

$53,983,000 for the South Boston Piers Transitway project. This project

consists of a 1-mile bus tunnel connecting South Station to the Fan Pier

and to the World Trade Center. The tunnel will be used by electric

trolleybuses and its construction is timed to coincide with the central

artery/tunnel highway project now underway. The project is under

construction. The local share commitment to this project is 20 percent.

An FFGA was issued in November 1994, in the amount of $330,726,320.

Through fiscal year 1998, Congress has made available $188,300,861 in

appropriated funds.

Boston urban ring. --The Committee recommends $1,500,000 for

developing a preferred alternative for the Massachusetts Bay

Transportation Authority's planned circumferential corridor surrounding

the Boston central core. Alternatives for this new service include

various combinations of light rail, busways, and rapid transit service

to new station stops on the existing radial system, and enhanced local

bus service. All build alternatives require a tunnel under the Charles

River and, depending on the alternative, bridges and/or tunnels at the

Southeast Expressway in south Boston. Initial cost estimates range from

$700,000,000 to $2,400,000,000. This project has received a total of

$2,088,514 in past years' appropriations.

Burlington-Essex, VT, commuter rail. --The Committee recommends

$4,000,000 for the construction of a commuter rail line linking

Burlington to Essex Junction. The commuter rail improvements in this

corridor include track, tunnel, signal at grade crossing, and drainage

improvements. In Burlington, the terminus would be the newly developed

Main Street Landing/Union Station site. Hourly commuter rail service

would be provided on the New England Central Railway right-of-way. The

project includes the construction of stations with park-and-ride lots

and integrated feeder bus service. Through fiscal year 1998, Congress

has made available $4,983,828 in appropriated funds.

Charleston, SC, monobeam rail project. --The Committee recommends

$3,000,000 for the construction of a full-scale demonstration monobeam

rail line linking the Charleston International Airport to the Charleston

Coliseum/Convention Center. The preliminary cost estimates for the 1.2

miles of the distance between the coliseum and the convention center

totals approximately $35,000,000, mostly from private sources. Through

fiscal year 1998, Congress has made available $1,495,150 in appropriated

funds for this project.

Charlotte, NC, north-south corridor. --The Committee recommends

$3,000,000 for the Charlotte, NC, north-south corridor. The city of

Charlotte, in cooperation with the North Carolina Department of

Transportation, is conducting an MIS to explore the feasibility of

constructing a rapid transit system within the Charlotte-Mecklenburg

County area. The South Corridor Transitway extends 13.5 miles from the

Uptown Charlotte Transportation Center to Interstate 485 near Pineville,

NC. The total estimated cost for the transitway is $250,000,000. The

corridor is included in the Mecklenburg-Union Metropolitan Planning

Organization's 2015 long-range plan. Through fiscal year 1998, Congress

has appropriated $1,000,000 for this effort.

Chicago Metra extensions and upgrades .--The Committee recommends

$19,000,000 for three Chicago Metra extensions and upgrades: (1) double

tracking the north-central corridor line, which was inaugurated in

August 1998 and has already exceeded ridership projections. The line

runs along Wisconsin Central Railroad line from Antioch and Franklin

Park to downtown Chicago; (2) extending the southwest corridor, which

runs on Norfolk Southern Railroad line from Orland Park to Chicago's

Southwest Side; and (3) extending the system's service westward along

Union Pacific Railroad line into Kane County, a rapidly growing suburban

area with high employment growth. Metra is the country's second largest

commuter rail, serving a population base of over 7.5 million. The

Federal funds will be matched with a 20-percent local share.

Chicago Transit Authority [CTA] Ravenswood and Douglas Branch lines

.--The Committee recommends $4,000,000 for capacity expansion of the

Chicago Ravenswood and Douglas Branch light rail systems. The Ravenswood

line carries approximately 105,000 people daily. The area is

experiencing rapid growth in ridership, and increased capacity is

required to handle this growth. The funds provided will allow CTA to

complete the major investment study and related environmental reviews

for the capacity expansion project. CTA plans to lengthen existing

platforms in order to accommodate trainsets of eight cars in length. The

Douglas Branch of the Chicago CTA blue line is in immediate need of

rehabilitation. The line is a century old, and already operating at

reduced speed due to poor track and structure conditions. The Committee

directs that, of the funds provided, the Ravenswood line shall receive

$2,000,000 and the Douglas Branch line shall receive $2,000,000.

Cincinnati Northeast/Northern Kentucky Rail Line project. --The

Committee recommends $3,600,000 for the corridor extending from the

Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport through downtown

Cincinnati to King's Island Amusement Park in Warren County, OH. This

33-mile corridor paralleling I 71 generally runs in a northeasterly

direction, and so is referred to as the northeast corridor. The capital

cost of the rail alternative range from $800,000,000 to $1,200,000,000.

The project is currently in the system planning studies phase. Through

fiscal year 1998, Congress has made available $6,996,308 in appropriated

funds for this project.

Cleveland Berea Red Line MIS .--The Committee recommends $1,000,000

for a major investment study to determine transportation options to

provide a direct link between downtown Cleveland, Hopkins International

Airport, the International Exposition Center, and Baldwin Wallace

College. The proposed Berea Rapid Transit extension, approximately 3

miles from the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority's airport

station, is directly aligned with the local transit operator's red line

rapid rail system. The MIS is also considering adequate walkup access

and park-and-ride facilities to encourage greater use of the red line

light rail transit system.

Cleveland Euclid corridor improvement project .--The Committee

recommends $4,000,000 for design and construction costs of the Greater

Cleveland Regional Transit Authority's 5.6-mile downtown corridor,

incorporating exclusive bus lanes and related capital improvements on

Euclid Avenue from Public Square in downtown Cleveland east to

University Circle. The proposed project is known as the Euclid corridor

improvement project [ECIP]. In addition, five stations along the

existing red line will be relocated in order to spur economic

development and improve access between the stations, surrounding

neighborhoods, and employment centers. In November 1995, the GCRTA Board

of Trustees selected the ECIP as the locally preferred alternative. The

total capital cost estimate for the ECIP is $332,500,000. Through fiscal

year 1998, Congress has appropriated $8,740,000.

Colorado-north front range feasibility study .--The Committee

recommends $500,000 for the north front range MPO transportation

feasibility study. This study would propose alternative regional

solutions to the growing safety, congestion, and air quality concerns in

the traffic corridors among northern Colorado's population centers

between Fort Collins and the Greeley areas and Denver. This study will

explore a wide array of alternatives, including highway widening,

intercity passenger rail alignment, and bus system improvements and any

other modal option.

PAGE 5 PAGE 7 105th Congress Legislation Index