To
assist in financing the acquisition, construction, cost-effective
leasing, maintenance, planning, and improvement of facilities and
equipment for use by operation, lease, contract, or otherwise in
mass transportation service, and for urbanized areas with populations
under 200,000, to assist with the payment of operating expenses
to improve or to continue such service by operation, lease, contract
or otherwise.
TYPES
OF ASSISTANCE:
Formula Grants. Place Cursor Here for Definition
USES
AND USE RESTRICTIONS:
The
Secretary of Transportation may make grants under this section for
capital projects to finance the planning, acquisition, construction,
lease, improvement, and maintenance of equipment and facilities
for use in transit subject to regulations. One percent of the funds
apportioned to urbanized areas with a population of at least 200,000
shall be made available for transit enhancements. For urbanized
areas with populations under 200,000, the Secretary may also make
grants under this section to finance transit operating costs. Recipients
of these grants are required to make information available to the
public and to publish a program of projects to afford affected citizens
opportunities through public hearings to submit comments on the
proposed program and the performance of the recipient.
ELIGIBILITY
REQUIREMENTS:
Applicant
Eligibility: Funds will be made available to
urbanized areas (as defined by the Bureau of the Census) through
designated recipients which must be public entities and legally
capable of receiving and dispensing Federal funds. The Governor,
responsible local officials, and publicly owned operators of mass
transportation services must jointly designate the recipient(s)
for urbanized areas of 200,000 or more in population. The Governor
or his designee is the recipient for urbanized areas of 50,000 to
200,000 population. Recipients must submit a program of projects
to FTA; submit a program application to FTA; enter into formal agreements
with FTA; and certify that public notification has been conducted.
Beneficiary
Eligibility: Publicly owned operators of mass
transportation services.
Credentials/Documentation:
Resolution by an authorized public body approving the filing for
an application; projects must be included in an urbanized area's
transportation improvement program (TIP), and in the State transportation
improvement program (STIP) approved by FTA and FHWA. Information
must be provided on labor agreements and relocation planning;
environmental impact; legal capacity; coordinated regional planning;
and compliance with certifications and assurances as compiled
in FTA's Annual List of Certifications and Assurances. Eligible
costs must be in accordance with OMB Circular No. A-87 for State
and local governments. A Federal Register Notice is published
annually on FTA fiscal year apportionments, allocations and program
information. The notice contains the urbalized area formula apportionments.
For fiscal year 2001, the notice was published on January 18,
2001. Prior year notices can be found on the FTA website at www.fta.dot.gov/
or by contacting the appropriate FTA Regional Office to obtain
copies or publication dates.
Pre-application
Coordination: The standard application forms
as furnished by the Federal agency and required by 49 CFR Part 18
must be used for this program. An environmental impact assessment
is required. In addition, an environmental impact statement may
also be required. This program is eligible for coverage under E.O.
12372, "Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs." An applicant
should consult the office or official designated as the single point
of contact in his or her State for more information on the process
the State requires to be followed in applying for assistance under
the FTA 49 U.S.C. 5307 program.
Application
Procedure: This program is subject to the
provisions of OMB Circular No. A-87 and 49 CFR Part 18. Applications
are to be submitted to the regional office of the Federal Transit
Administration listed in Appendix IV of the Catalog.
Award
Procedure: An FTA grant award obligating Federal
funds is reflected in a grant agreement. To access funds, the
recipient must execute the grant agreement.
Deadlines:
Applications may be submitted throughout the fiscal year.
Range
of Approval/Disapproval Time: Ninety days.
FTA has a 90-day goal for processing and approving all urbanized
area formula program grants.
Appeals:
Opportunity for public hearing for interested persons.
Renewals:
Amendments may be granted subject to the availability of funds
for the urbanized area.
ASSISTANCE
CONSIDERATIONS:
Formula
and Matching Requirements: Funding is apportioned
on the basis of legislative formulas. For urbanized areas 50,000
to 199,000 in population, the formula is based on population and
population density. For urbanized areas with population of 200,000
and greater, the formula is based on a combination of bus revenue
vehicle miles, bus passenger miles, fixed guideway revenue miles,
and fixed guideway route miles as well as population and population
density. The program operates under a statutory formula as prescribed
in 49 USC 5307 and 49 USC 5336. The Federal share is not to exceed
80 percent of the net project cost. The Federal share may be 90
percent for the cost of vehicle-related equipment attributable to
compliance with the American with Disabilities Act and the Clear
Air Act. The Federal share may also be 90 percent for projects or
portions of projects related to bicycles. The Federal share may
not exceed 50 percent of the net cost for operating assistance.
Length
and Time Phasing of Assistance: Sums apportioned
under the formula grant program are available for obligation by
the Governor or designated recipient for a period of 3 years following
the close of the fiscal year for which such sums are apportioned.
Any amounts remaining unobligated at the end of this period will
be reapportioned within the same activity for which they were
originally appropriated.
POST
ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS:
Reports:
(1) Progress reports; (2) construction reports where applicable;
and (3) final audit report.
Audits:
In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-133, "Audits
of States, Local Governments, and Nonprofit Organizations," nonfederal
entities that expend $300,000 or more in a year in Federal awards
shall have a single or program specific audit conducted for that
year. Nonfederal entities that expend less than $300,000 a year
in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for
that year with certain exceptions as stated in OMB Circular No.
A-133.
Records:
Recipient is required to retain intact, for 3 years following
submission of the final expenditure report, pending resolution
of audit findings, all project contract documents, financial records
and supporting documents.
FINANCIAL
INFORMATION:
Account
Identification: 69-1129-0-1-401.
Obligations:
(Grants) FY 01 $4,099,262,000; FY 02 est $3,216,040,000; and FY
03 est $3,308,182,000.
Range
and Average of Financial Assistance:
Varies according to local programming of available formula funds
and the level of operating expenses incurred.
Federal funds have supported the replacement and rehabilitation
of the existing rail fleet and restoration of rail facilities such
as stations, track, and yards and shops; helped to increase the
percentage of bus and rail maintenance facilities in good or better
condition; and contributed significantly to the continuing effort
to make the national fixed-route bus system 100 percent lift-or-ramp
equipped. In fiscal year 2002 $3.2 billion was awarded in grants.
REGULATIONS,
GUIDELINES, AND LITERATURE:
Formula Grant Application Instructions may be secured at no charge
from the FTA Regional Offices - FTA Circular 9030.1C, "Urbanized
Area Formula Program: Grant Application Instructions," October 1,
1998.
INFORMATION
CONTACTS:
Regional
or Local Office: See Appendix IV of the Catalog
for a listing of Federal Transit Administration regional offices.
Headquarters
Office: FTA Office of Program Management,
Director, Office of Resource Management and State Programs, 400
Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590. Telephone: (202) 366-2053.
Web
Site Address: http://www.fta.dot.gov/
EXAMPLES
OF FUNDED PROJECTS:
Grants were awarded to: (1) Kansas City Area Transportation Authority
for engineering, design and construction of the Kansas City Union
Station Intermodal Facility; (2) Flint, MI Mass Transportation Authority
for expansion of existing bus garage and renovation of operations/maintenance
facility; (3) Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District
for 48 replacement buses, one expansion ferry vessel, and operating
assistance; (4) Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority for Park
and Ride lots and right-of-way acquisition; and (5) Southeastern
Pennsylvania Transportation for Rail Transit Way Lines, rail station
stops/terminals and rail support equipment and facilities.
CRITERIA
FOR SELECTING PROPOSALS:
Projects must be eligible mass transit projects and meet all formula
grant requirements.
