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Houston’s congressional delegation recently approved $23 million in federal discretionary funding for Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, Texas, (METRO) projects as part of the fiscal-year 2005 appropriations bill.

The funds include $14.5 million for park and rides, and $8.5 million to begin implementing the METRO Solutions plan, which includes two extensions to the agency’s 7.5-mile light-rail line, which opened in January.

The 5.4-mile North Corridor would run from University of Houston-Downtown to Northline Mall; the 7.1-mile Southeast Corridor would run east-west from downtown to the Loop 610/Griggs area.

"These funds will enable METRO to move forward on several critically needed mobility projects that will provide congestion relief throughout the Houston region," said METRO President and Chief Executive Officer Frank Wilson in a prepared statement.