Final Spending Deal Bill Boosts Transportation Programs

Industry News / Infrastructure Funding

February 14, 2019

Final Spending Deal Bill Boosts Transportation Programs

After months of stalled negotiations, including a prolonged partial government shutdown, the House and Senate are finally poised to pass a seven-bill omnibus appropriations package this week that increases funding for several transportation infrastructure programs for 2019.

The bill provides $49.3 billion for federal highway programs, $3.25 billion above FAST Act levels. Transit programs receive a total of $13.4 billion, including $2.55 billion for capital investment grants.

BUILD (formerly TIGER) multimodal grants are funded at $900 million, and rail programs total nearly $3 billion, including $1.9 billion for Amtrak, $255 million for rail infrastructure and safety improvements, and $400 million for state of good repair grants.

For aviation, the bill preserves Airport Improvement Program funding at $3.35 billion and adds $500 million in competitive grants for airport infrastructure and allocates $3 billion for FAA facilities and equipment.

The bill also provides $3.4 billion for the Community Development Block Grant program, a 10 percent increase above fiscal 2017.

Click here for a summary from the House Appropriations Committee.

 

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