Davids Announces Historic Public Transit Funding from Bipartisan Infrastructure Law

Today, Representative Sharice Davids announced that the first round of transit funding under the historic bipartisan infrastructure law is heading to Kansas to strengthen public transportation systems, support transit jobs, and make urgently needed investments. Davids helped lead these investments to passage through her role as Vice Chair of the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee.

"By voting for the bipartisan infrastructure law, I was proud to help deliver the largest transit investment in American history through one of the most fiscally responsible and comprehensive infrastructure bills in decades," said Davids. "Better, safer, and more reliable transit systems benefit our economy and our environment. I look forward to working with KCATA as well as other state and local leaders to ensure that we implement these investments efficiently and effectively."

"We are so grateful to Congresswoman Sharice Davids for her unwavering commitment to passing and now implementing the Infrastructure Bill that will deliver critical investment in Kansas, and throughout our region," said Robbie Makinen, KCATA-RideKC President and CEO. "Congresswoman Davids understand that public transit is that one thing that connects all the dots. Whether its jobs, education, healthcare or affordable housing, public transportation and related infrastructure is the great connector and equalizer in our communities."

Rep. Davids and U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg ride a KCATA electric bus in January.

Transit systems have suffered from decades of underinvestment, causing disruptions and increasing travel times for passengers. The bipartisan infrastructure law represents the largest-ever investment in America's public transit. This funding can be used for a variety of purposes, including new bus and railcar acquisitions, facility upgrades and other key projects. In Kansas, this first round of transit funding—more than $17.4 million in total—includes:

• $2,885,289 for Kansas City, Kansas and $9,049,202 for other cities and rural areas in Kansas in flexiblefunding to help communities make transit safer and more efficient, acquire new buses and rail cars, perform track and station repairs, and execute other safety initiatives.
• $404,957 for the Kansas City Metro area to ensure transit systems are in a state of good repair, improving reliability by rehabilitating trains and buses, tracks, power systems and transit stations.
• $3,437,118 for Kansas to upgrade bus fleets and repair old buses and bus facilities.
• $752,743 for the Kansas City Metro area and $953,086 for other cities and rural areas in Kansas to support transit for seniors and persons with disabilities, funding key resources such as wheelchair lifts, mobility management programs and accessible transit vehicles.

Administered by the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Transit Administration, these investments total nearly $6 billion in funding that will be made available to transit agencies, states and Tribal governments across the country for the first 4.5 months of fiscal year 2022. Additional funding will become available following passage of a full-year appropriations bill, which is currently being negotiated in the House and Senate.

Davids previously announced that in fiscal year 2022, bipartisan infrastructure law is bringing $225 million to repair Kansas bridges, more than $13 million for airports in the Third District and $79 million for water infrastructure across Kansas. The law has been called the most fiscally responsible infrastructure bill in at least a decade by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.