Washington, DC - Congressman John D. Dingell (D-MI15) announced today that the Ann Arbor Transportation Authority (AATA) has received a $2.2 million award through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act from the Federal Transit Administration, part of the U.S. Department of Transportation.
This grant will fund four projects around Ann Arbor: a Central Campus Transit Center, an expanded AATA bus storage facility, improvements to bus stops and a continuation of existing service in Ypsilanti and Ypsilanti Township that would otherwise have been reduced because of the decline in local revenues.
“I appreciate the Federal Transit Administration’s commitment to improving transportation and safety in Ann Arbor,” said Congressman John Dingell. “This grant will allow the AATA to renovate and improve a transfer center on the University of Michigan campus and expand the bus storage capacity at the existing AATA facility. The funds will also be used for operating assistance as well as improving the safety and accessibility of Ann Arbor bus stops. All of these projects will help the AATA operate more efficiently and effectively, working to better public transportation for those in Ann Arbor.”
“On a broader scale, investing in transportation is crucial to our economic success. Initiatives like this not only improve the quality of public transportation in Ann Arbor, but also bring new jobs to the Ann Arbor community.”
Michael Ford, AATA CEO, added: “These stimulus funds have made it possible for AATA to acquire buses and facilities to increase transit ridership, invest in transportation infrastructure that will provide long-term economic benefits, and avoid reductions in essential transit service in part of our service area.”
Today the FTA released $600 million in ARRA funding for 191 new transit projects. This announcement meets FTA’s goal to award 100 percent of its $7.5 billion in ARRA transit formula dollars by March 5, 2010. The Department of Transportation estimates that the 881 transit projects funded through ARRA have already provided employment to thousands of individuals and have directly attributed to new bus, rail and equipment orders nationwide.
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