Feds allow METRO to use some stimulus money for rail

$29 million for utility work

Steve Hawley, Mar 25, 09.

The Federal Transit Administration has reversed course and will allow the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County (METRO) to use one-third of its stimulus funding for the North and Southeast light rail extensions, according to the Houston Chronicle. The agency had previously announced that the rail projects did not meet the funding deadline and therefore were not shovel-ready.

Representative Sheila Jackson-Lee (TX-18) announced the reversal on Tuesday. The decision follows Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood’s visit to Houston earlier this month, when LaHood met with METRO supporters and rode the light rail. Jackson-Lee said that METRO proved to the FTA that work could begin within 90 days, a key federal requirement.

The FTA will allow METRO to use almost $29 million of its $92 million allocation for the light rail expansion. Of that, $19.2 million will be used for utility relocation work along the North corridor and $9.7 million for utility relocation along the Southeast corridor.

After the FTA’s initial decision last week, METRO announced it would spend most of its stimulus money converting high-occupancy vehicle lanes to high-occupancy toll lanes. The board tabled the issue at a meeting on Thursday, citing concerns about cost, ridership, and future expansions, but it will likely reappear for a vote next month.