Rethinking Public Transportation for a Better Future

Rethinking Public Transportation for a Better Future

Nuria Fernandez

On November 6, 2021, President Biden signed the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which authorizes $108 billion for public transportation over five years. Thanks to this legislation, the most significant federal investment in transit in our history, we now have more resources to build truly sustainable and equitable transit systems while creating good-paying jobs in communities across the country.

For too long, Americans have had to say that if we had better funding, we could have better transit. Now, the federal programs and funding resulting from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will transform communities, with public transportation playing a major role in expanding travel options, combatting the climate crisis, improving equity throughout the nation and creating jobs.

For planners, who set the stage for positive change in our communities, now is the time to rethink our transportation systems and how they can expand opportunities for people in cities, towns and rural areas.

At its core, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law supports transit expansion to improve access and mobility. It will provide safer, faster, more frequent, and more reliable service to underserved and overburdened communities; address transit deserts; and expand equitable access. It also will transition 10,000-plus transit vehicles to operate using greener technology to help address climate change.

Now, with the opportunity to invest billions of new dollars into transit, planners and state and local officials in towns, cities, counties, and regional organizations can reconsider what future plans could look like. Too many of our neighbors still lack certainty in how they can get from place to place, and too many neighborhoods remain unconnected. How can planners re-envision the design of our communities and transportation systems to expand equity and affordable housing, improve environmental sustainability, and create more access to transit systems?

After all, everyone should have a right to safe, reliable transportation in today’s America.

FTA has made funding available for thousands of public transportation providers to create tangible change on the ground. Among the priorities of the legislation is to improve Metropolitan and Statewide Planning programs, which provide the underpinning for state and local transit projects with long-range transportation plans. Support for planning programs – both metropolitan and statewide planning – were expanded by approximately 35 percent through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law over five years.

With the Federal Highway Administration, we recently updated our Planning Emphasis Areas to encourage metropolitan planning organizations, state departments of transportation, transit agencies, and federal land management agencies to incorporate into their Unified Planning Work Programs and State Planning and Research Work Programs. Several of these emphasis areas focus on the BidenHarris Administration’s goals of advancing equity and environmental justice in transportation planning, which will help achieve greenhouse gas reduction goals and increase resilience to extreme weather events resulting from climate change. These efforts will better support regional and local governments as they plan for future transportation needs in their communities.

To expand local opportunities to tie transit to economic development and increase access, the legislation boosts funding for FTA’s Pilot Program for Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) Planning by 38 percent over five years. An expanded TOD planning program will allow FTA to award more grants to support comprehensive planning efforts that improve access to transit and create more mixed uses – including affordable housing near stations. Walkable, mixed-use development near transit attracts people and creates vibrant, connected communities. Truly equitable TOD will also provide housing options for people of all income levels.

FTA will continue to invest in transit expansion through the Capital Investment Grants (CIG) program, which provides grants to support high-capacity transit expansion projects like bus rapid transit and rail lines. Under the new law, the CIG program could double our annual investment and create more communities centered around high-quality transit.

In addition to FTA’s CIG program, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Rebuilding America’s Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) program provides funding for regional capital and planning projects. Of the $1 billion in RAISE awards announced for Fiscal Year 2021, $30 million was awarded to planning grants, all of them benefiting Areas of Persistent Poverty. Metropolitan Planning Organizations are among the eligible applicants.

The success of our transportation systems is critical to the economic health and sustainable future growth of our cities, towns and rural communities. As planners, your work is vital to ensuring transportation systems truly address the needs of everyone.

With the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, we are entering a new era, with opportunities we never had before to improve safety, accessibility and equity; drive economic development; and combat climate change, particularly addressing the disproportionate impacts on vulnerable communities.

An extensive transit network creates better connections to opportunities. Planners are key to helping us expand those opportunities to everyone. FTA looks forward to continuing its work with planners nationwide to help ensure that, regardless of how people travel, everyone has an equal opportunity at getting where they need to go.

Cover photo: Administrator Fernandez visits a Chicago Transit Authority station (FTA)

About the Author

Nuria Fernandez serves as the Administrator of the Federal Transit Administration. Fernandez has served in leadership roles at some of the largest transit systems in America and was most recently the General Manager and CEO of the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA), delivering projects, programs, and transit services that provide mobility solutions for people that live and work in Silicon Valley. Prior to leading VTA, Fernandez served as Chief Operating Officer of the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), and Sr. Vice President of Design and Construction for the Chicago Transit Authority and the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, consecutively.