LANSING — The Michigan Department of Transportation announced $133 million in funding from the Federal Transit Administration’s Low or No Emission Grant Program and Grants for Buses and Bus Facilities Program, along with matching state funds, to help transit agencies upgrade vehicles and facilities.
“These competitive grants strengthen Michigan’s thriving intermodal transportation network connecting our communities,” said Jean Ruestman, administrator of the MDOT Office of Passenger Transportation.
In grant tables released with the announcement, awards in the Cadillac area and farther north included:
- Cadillac-Wexford Transit Authority — $6,009,000 total ($4,807,200 federal and $1,201,800 state match) for projects including expanding its bus garage and offices, constructing a bus wash facility and purchasing multiple vehicles. Executive Director Carrie Thompson said the funding would support an expansion of the bus garage, construction of a dedicated wash bay, installation of a generator, creation of office space and the purchase of 14 new vehicles. Thompson said the agency provided more than 15,000 rides in October, its highest monthly ridership.
- Benzie Transportation Authority — $1,262,959 total ($1,010,365 federal and $252,594 state match) to receive funding for small propane buses and medium propane buses.
- Roscommon County Transportation Authority — $1,692,218 total ($1,438,384 federal and $253,834 state match) for small propane-powered buses and small propane-gasoline bi-fuel buses, plus $1,692,215 total ($1,353,772 federal and $338,443 state match) to purchase buses.
- Manistee County Transportation Inc. — $895,960 total ($716,768 federal and $179,192 state match) to purchase buses.
- Chippewa Luce Mackinac Community Action Agency — $281,250 total ($225,000 federal and $56,250 state match) to construct a protective bus shelter.
- City of Hancock — $146,000 total ($116,800 federal and $29,200 state match) for a full-size van and a heavy-duty pickup truck with a plow.
- Delta Area Transit Authority — $465,000 total ($372,000 federal and $93,000 state match) for full-size dual-fuel vans.
- Gogebic County Transit — $1,500,000 total ($1,200,000 federal and $300,000 state match) for garage expansion and construction and installation of a bus wash bay.
- Marquette County Transit Authority — $790,000 total ($632,000 federal and $158,000 state match) to purchase buses and all-wheel drive vans.
- Bay Mills Indian Community — $320,000 total in federal funds, with state match listed as ineligible, to construct a new ADA-compliant bus facility to house equipment and personnel.
MDOT said Michigan was compelled by law to provide a portion of the match funds required by the FTA, and that the state was able to support 100% of the local match from the state Comprehensive Transportation Fund, reducing the financial burden on transit agencies and enhancing competitiveness for national funding opportunities.