08.09.21

Senators Cantwell, Murray Announce Major Federal Award for Seattle Bus Rapid Transit

The senators announced that FTA will execute the nearly $60 million Capital Investment Grant (CIG) program award for the Madison Street Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Project in Seattle

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, and Patty Murray (D-WA), a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced that the Federal Transportation Administration (FTA) will follow through on a $59.9 million Capital Investment Grant (CIG) program award for the Madison Street Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Project in Seattle now that the City of Seattle Department of Transportation has met all necessary requirements for the funding award. The total project cost is $133.4 million, with $59.9 million in funding provided through this award and another $10.9 million provided earlier this year through American Rescue Plan funding that Senators Cantwell and Murray helped secure. Cantwell and Murray were instrumental in securing the transit funding in the American Rescue Plan and have been a strong advocates for this and other CIG projects in Washington state.  

“The Madison bus rapid transit line grant will help relieve congestion along one of the city’s busiest transit corridors by connecting people more easily to our mass transit network, whether it’s to our ferries or light rail system,” said Senator Cantwell.

“One thing I always hear from people in Seattle and the entire Puget Sound region is that people want more public transit options. Whether it’s to shorten commutes, decrease traffic, reduce emissions, create jobs, or make our communities more equitable—the demand for transit, like this bus rapid transit route, has been a constant refrain across the region and across the state that I’ve heard loud and clear and taken back to the other Washington,” Senator Murray said. “This award will help save local taxpayers money—while getting them the expanded transit they’ve been demanding. I’m going to keep working to ensure Seattle and Washington state continue to receive major federal investments in our busses, trains, ferries, and more.”

The CIG program is a discretionary funding program for the construction and expansion of new and existing fixed-guideway public transit systems such as heavy rail, light rail, commuter rail, bus rapid transit, streetcars, ferries, and certain corridor-based bus systems. Agencies applying to the CIG program work closely with the FTA through rigorous project development and engineering phases, after which the FTA decides whether to give the project a grant agreement and the corresponding federal dollars.

Seattle, WA: Madison Street Bus Rapid Transit Project

The Madison Street BRT project is a 2.3-mile east-west BRT line along Madison Street from downtown Seattle to the Madison Valley neighborhood in the east, with connections in First Hill, Capitol Hill, and the Central Area. It will connect people to hospitals, schools, businesses, and other destinations as well as to dozens of bus routes, the First Hill Streetcar, and ferry service at the Colman Dock Ferry Terminal.  

“Seattle is one of the best cities in the nation for building transit. Support from our Federal partners has made our historically high transit ridership and world class bus network possible,” said Mayor Jenny Durkan. “This $60 million in funding to build the Madison Rapid Ride will connect several dense and neighborhoods with reliable and fast transit service, moving more residents out of cars and onto buses. I want to thank Senator Murray for prioritizing and fighting for projects that will help Seattle build back better from the effects of COVID-19.”

“Strong partnerships?help us?deliver?tangible results for communities,” said SDOT Director?Sam Zimbabwe. “We thank the Federal Transit Administration for awarding critical funding to this project.?The Madison Bus Rapid Transit line will?be transformational; it will?connect people and places efficiently, safely, and reliably.?This is a clear example of Seattle voters’ Levy investment?working hard?to?provide transportation choices in our community. Together, we’re?working to?ensure?people?can?get?to where they work and live and?have?access to the important services they need.”?

A full list of current Capital Investment Grant (CIG) Projects can be found HERE. 

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