WASHINGTON, DC – Senators Mark Warner (D-VA) and Jim Webb (D-VA) today announced that $116 million in economic recovery funding has been released to Virginia to fund transit projects. The White House and the Department of Transportation released the funding Thursday afternoon, less than three weeks after Congress passed the economic recovery package.

“Our public transit systems typically have been underfunded for years,” Senator Mark R. Warner said. “These federal dollars will help Virginians commute to their jobs and allow for overdue investments in Metro, commuter rail, and rural and urban public transit systems across Virginia.”

“The injection of more than $100 million in funding for transit infrastructure demonstrates a step forward in the creation of new jobs and transit improvements that will enhance our quality of life and make Virginia more attractive to new investment,” said Senator Jim Webb. 

The funds will be distributed to both urban and rural areas through the Federal Transit Administration’s Transit Capital Grants program. Funds may be spent on a wide range of public transit investments including heavy rail, commuter rail, light rail, trolleybus, cable car, ferryboats, and high-occupancy-vehicle (HOV) lanes.

Transit funding to be allocated to Virginia (based on pre-existing formulas):

• Urban Area Transit Capital Grants (Sections 5307 and 5340) - $93,340,956
• Rural Area Transit Capital Grants (Sections 5311 and 5340) - $18,555,163
• Transit Fixed-Guideway Modernization (Section 5309) - $4,209,386
• Total Virginia Transit Funding - $116,105,505

The economic recovery package did not include 'earmarks.’ Specific project funding will be determined at the state level by the Office of the Governor, and local governments and constituents can submit specific project requests at http://stimulus.virginia.gov/.  

Website submissions received by Friday, March 6, 2009 will be categorized and reviewed by the Governor's Office and the Department of Planning and Budget. The project reviews and recommendations will be completed in time for the Governor to work with the General Assembly to allocate funding and make any required policy or program changes in advance of the Reconvened Session of the General Assembly. Because some program areas of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act have different deadlines, citizens and groups can continue to submit requests.