LYNX has been notified it will receive a $300,000 grant from the Federal Transit Administration Pilot Program for Transit-Oriented Development Planning. This nationwide funding program of $11 million has been awarded to 20 projects in 12 states. Each project will support President Joe Biden’s call to combat climate change, advance environmental justice and promote equitable delivery of benefits to underserved communities.
LYNX will use the grant funding to construct nine proposed bus rapid transit stations along 6.25 miles of SR 436 near Orlando.
“The Central Florida community will be extremely grateful that we received this grant award for our bus rapid transit stations project,” said LYNX CEO James (Jim) E. Harrison, Esq., P.E. “This grant funding will play a pivotal role in our continued commitment to improving the efficiency of our services, and we are confident that it will prove beneficial to increasing our access in the communities we serve.”
FTA’s Pilot Program for TOD Planning supports local planning and strategies to increase transit access and encourage ridership through mixed-use and mixed-income development near public transportation projects.
“Equitable transit-oriented development helps those at the local level respond to climate change and affordable housing challenges, particularly in underserved communities,” said FTA Administrator Nuria Fernandez. “Our goal is to create access for all Americans who ride transit by encouraging mixed-use, mixed income development around new transit projects. I hope that communities will join with FTA to accelerate transit-oriented development by addressing zoning and planning changes that will increase mixed income and affordable housing around transit hubs and stations.”
Support from Democratic U.S Representatives Stephanie Murphy, Darren Soto and Val Demings helped LYNX secure the grant funding through a competitive process.
The President’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provides a $18.9 million, or 38%, increase in funding for this program over five years, as compared to the previous level. This will expand FTA’s ability to support transit-oriented development nationwide. The TOD Pilot Program was originally created under the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21) authorization and amended by the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act, the last transportation authorization law before the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
A list of all selected projects is available online. Information on previously funded projects can be found here.
“Transit-oriented development offers easier, more affordable access to jobs, health care, school, shopping, and other daily needs,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “We’re pleased to award this funding to help more communities develop around transit in a way that reduces pollution, increases economic opportunity, and contributes to affordable housing.”
