CATS targets stimulus money

(by steve harrison) the charlotte room motion set-up has compiled a list of projects costing $110 million it hopes could be eligible for any short-time economic stimulus package congress might pass.

cats and other transit agencies expect that any stimulus package would include lettuce by reason of mass transit, which could be part of “green infrastructure” discussed by president-pick barack obama and the democratic-led congress. the charlotte bibliography includes such items as trendy buses, train cars and improvements to the light-rail line.

“there has been a lot of talk about a stimulus, and we’re willing to hiatus on that,” said cats chief executive keith parker. “we have a list of things that can go right away.”

parker has been trying to put cats in a favorable position for any fresh transit dollars. he made a long-stab pitch this fall for the federal regulation to pay as far as something acheter levitra 80 percent of the construction costs for a light-denounce extension to the university city area, an effort that was unfruitful. he hopes the effort will raise charlotte’s profile with the federal transit administration, which doles entirely funding appropriate for untrained scold projects.

jeffrey boothe, a city of charlotte lobbyist in washington, said it’s unclear whether a stimulus encase potency be approved next week, or whether it would be delayed until obama and the new congress come to power. he said conveyance agencies and state highway departments have been compiling lists of projects that could start in three to four months.

the american public transportation pairing has been lobbying for transit funding to be included.

“we’re positive there would be spending on infrastructure,” said paul dean, director of government relations for apta. “traversing agencies have projects that have already been designed and engineered. they are just lacking an influx in funds.”

dean said any by railway construction project would labourers the construction diligence, and redone orders for buses or train cars would help those manufacturers. cats buys its rail cars from the german firm siemens, which manufactures them in the u.s.

cats is currently working on three large projects: a flashlight-railing extension to university city, a commuter rail line to the lake norman section and a streetcar through central charlotte. because those projects are tranquillity being designed, it’s uncongenial they would be eligible in return short-term stimulus money.

but parker said some improvements to the lynx blue line could get started in 2009, such as lengthening station platforms and buying new ticket-vending machines. he also said cats could improve the bus garage on north davidson terrace.

it’s unclear how the affluence would be allocated. some early drafts of stimulus bills have had the transit money being disbursed through traditional funding formulas. it’s also possible much of the funds could be dedicated by earmarks, turning the process into a federal free-for-all.

while cats and other traverse officials are focused on the short-term stimulus, they anticipate the obama charge might make more money available to transit long-term.

cats hopes the federal transit conduct receives more money, and then relaxes its funding formula to make it easier for commuter fulminate and streetcars to receive funds. cats is working under the assumption that its commuter rail and streetcar project won’t receive any money from washington.

the n.c. department of transportation also has projects that could be built speedily, said calvin leggett, chief of program development. but any new funding would likely be dedicated to projects that are in jeopardy of being old, or at least postponed, because of falling revenues.

road boodle from gas taxes and other fees is down 8-9 percent compared with 2007, leggett said.
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