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Yesterday, the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) announced it has awarded $787 million in FY2012 State of Good Repair and Bus Livability grants for 255 projects.

The majority of the funds will be used by transit agencies to purchase buses and improve bus-related facilities and infrastructure. However, several grants had rail implications. Among them:

• $17.6 million to the Massachusetts Department of Transportation to begin the first phase of a Union Station redevelopment project that will create an intermodal transportation center integrating Amtrak, local bus and planned commuter-rail service to Connecticut;

• $10 million to the Chicago Transit Authority to upgrade and improve connectivity at the 95th Street Terminal, which serves rail, bus, paratransit and coach bus passengers;

• $6.3 million to the Capital Area Transportation Authority in East Lansing, Mich., to redevelop a former Amtrak station near Michigan State University into the Capital Area Multi-Modal Gateway Project, which will improve bicycle and pedestrian access, and connections to local rail and bus service;

• $3.2 million to Bay Area Rapid Transit to install real-time rail and bus departure and arrival information at key intermodal stations; and

• $1.6 million to the Maryland Department of Transportation to make safety and accessibility improvements at the Cherry Hill Transit Hub, which connects light-rail and bus service.

USDOT received 836 project applications for the grants totaling $4 billion in requests.