Meeting_Body
EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE
OCTOBER 20, 2016
Subject/Action
SUBJECT: FEDERAL FREIGHT FUNDING PROGRAM UPDATE
ACTION: RECEIVE AND FILE
Heading
RECOMMENDATION
Title
RECEIVE AND FILE report on Federal Freight Funding Program Update.
Issue
ISSUE
At the August 25, 2016 Metro Board meeting, the Board unanimously approved Motion #52 by Directors Garcetti, Knabe, Antonovich, Solis, Dubois and Fasana (Attachment A) that directed the CEO to provide an update on federal freight funding opportunities at the October Metro Board of Directors meeting, including efforts made for the first year of the federal FASTLANE grant competition, lessons learned and strategies to secure future FASTLANE funding, and the creation of a Freight Corridor Implementation Working Group (Working Group).
Background
The Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act (FAST Act), a five-year transportation authorization bill funded at $305 billion and signed into law on December 4, 2015, established the Nationally Significant Freight and Highway Projects (NSFHP) program to provide federal financial assistance to projects of national or regional significance. This grant program, also known as the Fostering Advancements in Shipping and Transportation for the Long-term Achievement of National Efficiencies (FASTLANE) grant program, was authorized at $4.5 billion for fiscal years (FY) 2016 through 2020, with $800 million for FY 16 to be awarded by the Secretary of Transportation and vetted by Congress.
On March 2, 2016 a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) was published by the Office of the Secretary of Transportation that provided information to solicit applications for FY 16 FASTLANE grants1. The NOFO provided eligibility criteria for agencies and projects as well as application requirements. The deadline for grant applications to be submitted was April 14, 2016, providing approximately six weeks for agencies to submit their application(s).
Metro as lead sponsor sub...
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