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Last week, Bay Area Rapid Transit’s (BART) board approved a new $484 million funding package for the Oakland Airport Connector (OAC), which will serve as a train-to-plane connection between BART’s Coliseum Station and Oakland Airport.

The funding plan for the project — which is slated to begin in late 2010 — now includes $8 million in cost reductions and $62 million from various sources, according to BART.

The board also reauthorized the agency to enter into a contract with a Flatiron/Parsons joint venture to design and build the 3.2-mile automated people mover, and a contract with Doppelmayr Cable Car Inc. to operate and maintain the connector after it’s built in about four years. Both firms originally were awarded the contracts in December 2009.

The next steps for the project: securing approval of $25 million from the Federal Transit Administration and gaining approval of $20 million in state funds, which the California Transportation Commission will consider at its Aug. 12 meeting, said BART General Manager Dorothy Dugger in a prepared statement.

Meanwhile, the board also finalized plans to use much of a $4.5 million budget surplus to improve BART police and emergency facilities, boost rainy-day reserves and improve customer service. Board members postponed a decision to use $2.3 million for a temporary fare rollback — such as 3 percent for four months or 5 percent for three months — until a future meeting.

The board directed BART to use $1 million for rainy-day reserves, bringing total reserves to $25 million; $750,000 to replace seats and deep-clean 50 rail cars; $150,000 to bolster emergency operations and BART Police facilities; and $100,000 to improve station agent customer service.