Congressman Kagen Applauds Governor Doyle’s Approval of Northeast Wisconsin Transit Projects for Recovery Act Funding

Press Release

Media Contact:
Jake Rubin 202.225.5665

CONGRESSMAN  KAGEN  APPLAUDS  GOVERNOR  DOYLE’S  APPROVAL  OF  NORTHEAST  WISCONSIN  TRANSIT  PROJECTS  FOR  RECOVERY  ACT  FUNDING

April 22, 2009

“I am working hard to bring our tax dollars back home to Wisconsin where they belong,” Congressman Steve Kagen said. “The Recovery Act is doing exactly what we intended it to do – investing in our communities now.  What we need in Wisconsin are jobs, jobs and more jobs and these investments in Green Bay’s transit will help strengthen our local economy.  I want to applaud Governor Doyle for approving these funds.”

“Investments that make travel safer, easier and more affordable will not only improve our quality of life, they will help get our economy back on track,” Governor Doyle said. “Under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, we have the opportunity to make strategic improvements to our infrastructure that will help get people to work and will add lasting value to our economy.”

The Green Bay projects, worth $2.9 million, include the following:

•    Four clean diesel buses ($1,440,000) that will operate more efficiently and reduce emissions.
•    A new smart-card system ($720,000), which will make bus fares easier and more convenient.
•    A security system ($500,000) that will put passenger safety first.
•    Improvements in maintenance, radio and support equipment ($240,000).

Other areas in the 8th Congressional District to receive this funding include:

Appleton                     $1,477,900    
Clintonville                  $34,500
Menominee Nation      $4,308,000
Waupaca                    $118,000
Oneida Nation            $372,600
   
For the small urban transit systems – cities with populations between 50,000 and 200,000 – the next step is for each city to work with the Federal Transit Administration to submit its application and have its project certified by the U.S. DOT.  Funding for these projects totals $23,154,677.

Projects for the non-urbanized transit systems first will need to be approved by the state legislature’s Joint Committee on Finance, which is scheduled to take action on Tuesday, April 21. The state Department of Transportation will then submit funding applications on their behalf to the federal government.  If fully funded, these projects will total $11,299,461.

The transit formula funding provided by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act must be used for capital projects, such as buses and bus facilities, preventive maintenance, security, para-transit services and other public transit projects that enhance economic development. Funds were allocated to states, and directly to large urban areas – including Milwaukee and Madison – based on existing FTA formulas.