FTA 15-02
Thursday, May 23, 2002
Contact: Bruce Frame
Tel.: (202) 366-4043
Federal Transit Administrator Announces Federal Funding
to Salt Lake City
Federal Transit Administrator Jennifer L. Dorn today announced that the Federal
Transit Administration has entered into a $53.6 million Full Funding Grant
Agreement (FFGA) with the Utah Transit Authority (UTA) for the Medical Center
Light Rail Transit (LRT) line.
“President Bush has proposed $7.2 billion for the Federal
Transit Program as part of the FY 2003 budget, further reinforcing this
Administration’s commitment to public transportation as a strategic
investment,” said Administrator Dorn. “In
communities across the country, federal dollars are being leveraged to stimulate
funding for critical public transportation projects.
For the hardworking citizens in the Salt Lake City area, the payoff is
vibrant and thriving communities with safe and convenient access to employment,
medical care and the many activities of daily life.”
The Medical Center Extension project is a 1.5-mile LRT system extending from the University Line station at Rice-Eccles Stadium to the University of Utah Health Science Complex. The proposed Medical Center rail line includes three low platform stations and will connect to the existing North/South LRT corridor. Service is scheduled to begin in 2004, with ridership estimated at 4,100 average weekday boardings, 3,400 of whom will be new riders.
Dorn added, “Salt Lake City has a lot to be proud of, including its outstanding performance in safely and effectively transporting nearly 2.4 million Olympic spectators and visitors, as well as its regular customers, during the Olympic 2002 Winter Games.”
An FFGA is the federal government’s commitment to support a transit project over the course of several fiscal years, contingent upon the availability of funds. As funds are appropriated, the full funding projects receive priority consideration.
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