(The Center Square) – The Iowa Transportation Commission announced Tuesday it has approved $1.5 million in funding for four public transit projects.
Iowa legislators have made the funding available annually through the state’s Public Transit Infrastructure Grant Program.
Projects must involve vertical infrastructure in new construction, reconstruction or remodeling, the Iowa Department of Transportation said. Transit systems that can secure local funding for at least 20% of their project costs can apply to have up to 80 percent of their projects funded through the program, the Iowa Department of Transportation’s news release said.
A system can’t receive more than 40 percent of available infrastructure funding in a given year, and projects are evaluated based on anticipated speed of completion and benefits to transit, Iowa DOT’s website said.
The four projects the Commission approved this year are in Sioux City, Ames, Mason City and Mount Pleasant, including:
- Siouxland Regional Transit System is receiving $238,434 for a new automated bus wash.
- CyRide will receive $581,566 to rehabilitate a maintenance facility’s shop area.
- North Iowa Area Council of Governments will receive $200,000 to replace insulation and vapor barrier for transit facility shortage and maintenance area.
- The Southeast Iowa Regional Planning Commission will receive $480,000 for Phase I of renovating its existing facility.
“The Public Transit Infrastructure Grant is an impactful source of funding for public transit systems,” Iowa Department of Transportation Transit Programs Administrator Rebecca Law said in the release. “This program enables transit systems to construct and maintain facilities that are critical to the operation of their system and maintenance of the vehicles.”
The state received seven project applications for a total of $5.65 million this year, Law said.
