Phoenix light rail project gets 'A+'

by Jim Repass
TRA Advisor
Founder of National Corridors Initiative

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) reported on February 5 the Phoenix, Ariz., light rail project is one of the best new rail projects in the country. City officials reported the project “received the highest possible federal rating from the FTA in its Annual New Starts Report to Congress.” It was one of only two projects in the country to receive a “highly recommended” rating out of 59 rail projects nationwide seeking a federal funding commitment. The report is used by Congress to evaluate projects for federal funding, a city press release stated.

The news of the rating came on the heels of another federal approval of the project one week after a “Record of Decision” from the FTA, which is required before the project can move into the next design phase.
The Central Phoenix-East Valley Light Rail Transit Project is not yet eligible for a full-funding grant agreement. That is a commitment from the federal government that it will fund half the project cost.

The project has the third highest federal funding level of any project at the same phase of planning and design, with $34 million in federal funding to date. Project officials cannot apply for the agreement until at least half the project is designed. It is now about one-third completed, an official said, but they expect to get an agreement by spring 2004, shortly before construction begins in April 2004. Trains are expected to start running in late 2006.

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Used by Permission
Copyright 2003, NCI, Inc.
Reprint from Destination Freedom, Vol. 4, No. 8.