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The president isn’t expected to sign the Safe, Accountable, Flexible and Efficient Transportation Equity Act of 2005: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU), approved by Congress on July 29, until next week. But transit agencies are eager to receive their share of the $286.5 billion, six-year federal transportation funding bill, which includes $52.6 billion for public transit projects.

SAFETEA-LU appropriates $432 million for Los Angeles County Transportation Authority’s transit-rail projects, including $400 million for the Metro Gold Line extension to East Los Angeles, $21 million for environmental studies and preliminary engineering on a Metro Gold Line Montclair extension and $11 million for the Exposition light-rail line between downtown L.A. and Santa Monica.

The Transbay Joint Powers Authority will receive $56.2 million to help construct the Transbay Terminal near San Francisco’s financial district, which will connect San Francisco MUNI, Caltrain and high-speed rail service with several bus lines and provide a pedestrian connection to Bay Area Rapid Transit service.

In Texas, Dallas Area Rapid Transit will receive $260 million for its 35-mile Northwest/Southeast light-rail expansion, which will connect North Irving with Carrollton, Farmers Branch, South Dallas and Pleasant Grove. The Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County will receive a total of $245 million, a portion of which will help the authority implement the second phase of its light-rail system.

Finally, Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority will receive $100 million toward the purchase of 52 passenger cars, which will enable the authority to begin operating eight-car trains.