• May 31st, 2024
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On May 28, 2024, the Federal Trnasit Administration (FTA) announced that eight transit systems – including Pittsburgh Regional Transit in Allegheny County – will receive a share of $343 million in funding to help make our nation's oldest rail stations accessible for people with disabilities through the All Stations Accessibility Program (ASAP). "By improving stations to ensure people with disabilities can get on board with the same ease as anyone else, we are taking a major step toward promoting equity in our transportation systems," says the FTA. The award comes about 14 months after the FTA held a public webinar with information about the All Stations Accessibilitiy Program and how to apply on December 19, 2023.

Pittsburgh Regional Transit will receive $8 million as part of the ASAP program to make ten RED Line stations (Palm Garden, Dawn, Hampshire, Stevenson, Poplar, Arlington, Smith Road, Casswell, Highland & Dorchester) accessible to people with disabilities. Upgrades will include replacing platforms with level boarding, installing canopies to provide shelters for the platform, designing a clear, accessible path to the upgraded platforms and installing accessible signage.

"Since the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act, great strides have been made in improving accessibility, but there is still a lot of work to accomplish," said FTA Acting Administrator Veronica Vanterpool. "By modernizing rail systems across the country, the ASAP program provides funding to address these overdue improvements. We want to ensure that all customers can use transit systems with ease and reliability, including people with disabilities, those using mobility devices, and other users needing more accessible spaces."

Previously, in December 2022, FTA announced $686 million in FY 2022-23 funding to 15 projects across 9 states through the ASAP program, which included an initial $28.4 million for Pittsburgh Regional Transit to complete the same station accessibility improvement work along the RED Line impacting stations at Bethel Village, Westfield St. Anne's, and Shiras. Station improvements at these locations include installing a high platform for level boarding, shelters on the boarding platform, ramps, accessible signage, and auditory support.

The All Stations Accessibility Program makes competitive funding available to assist in financing of capital projects to repair, improve, modify, retrofit, or relocate infrastructure of stations or facilities to make all public areas of the station accessible to people with disabilities, including those who use wheelchairs, by increasing the number of existing stations or facilities for passenger use that meet or exceed the new construction standards of Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12131 et seq.). Eligible recipients for ASAP included states and local government entities that operate legacy rail fixed guideway public transportation systems, like Pittsburgh Regional Transit. The federal share of funding for awarded projects is not to exceed 80% of the net project cost for capital expenditures, meaning that Pittsburgh Regional Transit will utilize $2 million from other funding to complete the project.

Part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, since 2022, the All Stations Accessibility Program has awarded $1.05 billion in funds through 2024, with another $700 million to be awarded through 2026, for a total of $1.75 billion in funding for ASAP through FY 2026.

Source: Federal Transit Administration