Based on legislation championed by Senator Warnock, the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act included provisions to update and improve a key federal transportation grant program
The Capital Investment Grant (CIG) program is a primary source of federal funding for new transit construction and expansion lines
MARTA and other regional transit providers will be primary beneficiaries of the Senator Warnock-led provision, which will provide access to additional federal funding for expanding transit service and reach
Senator Reverend Warnock: “I’m glad these provisions were included in the infrastructure bill, and I’m going to keep pushing to ensure these dollars flow to Georgia’s transit priorities. We can improve our economy, boost the quality of life for Georgians, lower congestion, and fight climate change all at the same time”
ICYMI from WABE: “Sen. Warnock, MARTA Chief Executive: Invest In Infrastructure And Jobs Will Follow”
Washington, D.C. – Following the Senate’s passage of the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act earlier this week,today U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) highlighted a provision he secured in the landmark legislation that will help strengthen public transportation in Georgia and bolster essential efforts to expand transit in communities across the state. Senator Warnock successfully led efforts to include language inspired by his Capital Investment Improvement Act in the jobs and infrastructure bill that will make key updates and improvements to the Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA) Capital Investment Grant (CIG) program, the main federal source of funding new transit construction and expansion lines. The changes championed by Senator Warnock will allow MARTA and other local transit providers to access the CIG program to fund efforts to expand high-quality service, including projects like Clayton County Bus Rapid Transit and the Campbellton Road Corridor, which will be ready to enter the CIG pipeline soon, as well as proposed expansion lines along the Clifton Corridor and the BeltLine.
“I was proud to fight for these key changes that will help transit providers like MARTA expand their service, making it easier for Georgians to access all their communities have to offer,” said Senator Warnock. “In addition to connecting students to school and patients to vital health care, expanding public transportation helps create new jobs and economic opportunities, and helps ensure Georgians have the physical and economic mobility to participate in our state and local economies.
“I’m glad these provisions were included in the infrastructure bill, and I’m going to keep pushing to ensure these dollars flow to Georgia’s transit priorities. We can improve our economy, boost the quality of life for Georgians, lower congestion, and fight climate change all at the same time,” Senator Warnock added.
Included in the bipartisan infrastructure bill is language inspired by Senator Warnock’s Capital Investment Grant Improvement Act that raises the cap on project size for Small Starts projects from $300 million to $400 million, and the cap on CIG funds for those projects from $100 million to $150 million—opening a new door to federal funding for key transit expansion priorities in metro Atlanta in throughout the state. In addition to language lifting these two caps, the bipartisan infrastructure bill also includes ideas Senator Warnock championed from his legislation to create a public dashboard for CIG projects and reduce a burdensome requirement on project sponsors to do detailed before and after studies, further easing the road to bringing important and long-needed transit priorities in Georgia to fruition. Senator Warnock joined his colleagues in passing the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act 69-30 on Tuesday; the legislation now heads to the House of Representatives.
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