This article was written by BenitoLink intern Camille Mattish. Lea este articulo en español aquí.
The Council of San Benito County Governments (COG) will be receiving an $8.16 million state grant for transit projects.
COG Executive Director Binu Abraham said at the March 21 meeting that the money will be received over the course of four years.
On Nov. 16, 2023, COG indicated at its Board meeting that it would use the funds for transit capital projects, for maintenance and reinstating transit operations that were scaled back during the pandemic as well as a planning study for identifying transit needs.
According to the Nov. 16 agenda packet, COG, a regional transportation agency, would use the funding as follows:
Administration
- Project administration: $81,602
Capital projects
- Zero‐emission vehicles: $1.5 million
- Transit hub: $2 million
- Modernization and next generation transit infrastructure: $2 million
Operations projects
- express bus pilot program: $478,562
- Planning study: $100,000
- Reinstate transit operations: $2 million
The funding comes from the Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program and Zero Emission Transit Capital Program, said COG Transportation Planner Douglas Kean.
The state is expected to give $3.6 million of this within the first year, which means it is already behind, Abraham said in March.
Kean said the $8.16 million is to only be used for projects involving public transportation. These projects consist of improving safety in transit, improving and expanding the transit service, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and integrating rail services with the state’s rail operations, which includes the high-speed rail system.
COG applied for the grant in December and Abraham said COG is looking for other grants to fund the express bus pilot program. She said the current grant would fund six months of the program.
Kean added that the other opportunities to fund the pilot program include grants from EPA, Caltrans and the Federal Transit Administration.
He said, “Due to uncertainty with the state budget, we are keeping all funding opportunities open.”
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