RICHMOND, Va. (WAVY) — Nearly $100 million has been allocated to transit agencies across Virginia by the Commonwealth Transportation Board during the coronavirus pandemic.
The federal dollars were awarded to Virginia through the CARES Act. The money will help local government, small urban, and rural transit agencies in several ways during the COVID-19 pandemic. The money will be used to offset lost revenues due to a decline in ridership during the pandemic, provide free rides to those who need to continue using transportation services, and keep transportation agencies functioning during the economic crisis created by the COVID-19 outbreak.
Nearly $100 million will be used in the following ways:
- 100% of small urban transit agency funding
- 50% of rural transit agency funding
- 15% of rural transit agency funding to the Virginia Breeze intercity bus program
- 35% of remaining rural transit agency and the Appalachian Development Public Transportation funding will be held for critical transit agency needs
The CARES Act does not require a state or local match to receive the funding.
In total, Virginia was given $456 million for transportation through the CARES Act. It will be used in the following ways:
- $356.6 million — Urban public transit agencies
- $47.2 million — Discretionary funding for small urban transit agencies
- $52.5 million — Discretionary funding for rural transit agencies, the Virginia Breeze intercity bus service, and the Appalachian Development Public Transportation Program
“Our public transit agencies are the backbone of our economy and ensure critical movement of goods and people in all of our communities,” Secretary of Transportation Shannon Valentine said in a prepared statement. “This relief helps Virginia’s transit systems continue essential services and operations, and also offset the substantial costs of driver salaries, sanitization supplies, and protective equipment purchased to combat the Coronavirus and its aftermath.”