USDOT report highlights nearly $64 billion in transportation investments

By the end of fiscal-year 2018, the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) will have made available more than $63.9 billion in FY2018 multimodal discretionary and formula transportation investments and $1.6 billion in FY2017 discretionary funds.

In a statement highlighting its recent funding decisions, the USDOT noted the investments mark a "significant step forward" in addressing the Trump administration's infrastructure goals.

"Utilizing significantly increased levels of appropriations from Congress in the March 2018 omnibus funding bill, more investment is reaching areas and projects with the greatest impact," according to the statement.

In six months, the USDOT:
• distributed the entire $56.2 billion in formula funds from FY2018;
• announced $7.8 billion in discretionary grant availability from FY 2018; and
• awarded $5.8 billion in FY2017 and FY2018 discretionary grants.

The USDOT also highlighted specific projects and industries that received or had access to federal funding. For rail, the department noted that the Federal Railroad Administration issued notice of funding opportunities under the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements program totaling $568 million, of which $203 million for grants to support the implementation of positive train control were awarded Aug. 24.

An additional $343 million is available for safety and infrastructure improvements.

Moreover, the department's Small Starts Grant agreements included $75 million for Sound Transit's Tacoma Link light-rail project.