LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES - 2023/2024
Click here for a downloadable copy of the full 2023/2024 Legislative Update (6.10 MB).
Thank you to our Congressional and Ohio delegations for supporting GCRTA’s pursuit of competitive grants to support of Capital Improvement Program. With your help we were able to secure over $37 million in grants from FTA, USDOT, ODOT OEPA and others.
The following represents GCRTA's Federal and State legislative priorities for Federal Fiscal Years (FFY) 2023 and 2024.
- GCRTA requests continued support in seeking and obtaining multi-year funding commitments from FTA, ODOT and others for the replacement of our Rail Car Fleet. GCRTA has already identified $212.9 million of the $360-393 million total program cost. We are seeking the remaining $180.1 million over the next five to six years (See Page 4.) In January 2023 we submitted a $130 million grant request from FTA’s new Rail Vehicle Replacement grant program.
- GCRTA requests additional support in obtaining additional federal and state funding for our highest priority State of Good Repair programs:
- $30.7 million for our Light Rail Track Reconstruction Program
- $32.0 million for the 25 Connects/MetroHealth BRT
- $56.2 million for our 2027-2029 Bus Replacement Program
- $12.0 million for our Electric Bus Pilot Program
- $15.8 million for our Rail Infrastructure Systems Program
- GCRTA requests that at a minimum, the State of Ohio’s transit funding remain at $70 million per year for the next SFY 2024/2025 biennium.
- GCRTA requests that the State of Ohio act on and update ODOT’s "Ohio Statewide Transit Needs Study" by identifying dedicated funding in the State’s 2024-25 biennial ODOT and General Revenue Fund budgets to close the funding gap identified in the study.
- GCRTA requests support in pursing grant opportunities in the areas of Workforce Development, Fare Collection Technology to promote Fare Equity, and the promotion of Transit Oriented Development.
- GCRTA has prepared a summary of our $368 million backlog of unfunded projects and $326.8 million of key projects in our 2023-2027 Capital Improvement Program that are either partially funded or have been delayed due to lack of funding. They are included in the current 2021-2024 State of Ohio Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) and the SFY 2024-2027 STIP update and can be awarded quickly as Competitive Grants are awarded. (Exhibit C)