METRO to receive $92 million in stimulus funding

Agency expected $180 million

Steve Hawley, Feb 19, 09.

UPDATE: The Chronicle has updated its article. Frank Wilson said that METRO could use the stimulus funding to begin construction on the north and southeast light rail extensions or to buy new rail cars, and that a decision on how to spend the money has not yet been made. He also noted that METRO is expecting additional discretionary funding from the Federal Transit Administration.

Frank Wilson, president and CEO of the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County (METRO), reported today that his agency will receive $92 million from the economic recovery bill, about half of what was anticipated, according to the Houston Chronicle. Wilson said that METRO had requested $410 million and expected to receive about $180 million, but that the final version of the bill reduced the figure.

The article notes, “The transit agency previously announced that the stimulus and other federal funds would be sufficient to begin construction on the North and Southeast lines this year.” It did not indicate whether or not this development would affect construction.