Coronavirus Relief Funding Distribution

At the March 1, 2021 Public Transportation Advisory Committee (PTAC) meeting, the committee received and discussed a presentation on potential scenarios and staff recommendations from the ODOT Public Transportation Division for distributing COVID relief and other additional federal public transportation funds for the 2021-23 biennium.

PTAC unanimously endorsed staff recommendations for distributing $18.4M in 2021-23 funding, with several fund sources combined to provide the greatest impact and efficiency. The funds include new federal Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021 (CRRSAA) relief funds, remaining undistributed Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES) funding from the March 2020 relief package and previously unallocated FTA Section 5311 Formula Grants for Rural Areas funds.

The endorsed recommendation distributes funds through a combination of formula and needs-based processes:

• $10.3M through immediate formula distribution, including allocating the rural portion of CRRSAA funds directed to the Enhanced Mobility of Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities, FTA Section 5310, to agencies who have not yet received any relief funding.
• $8M held for needs-based application process, with up to $3M of those needs-based funds allocated to Statewide Transportation Improvement Fund (STIF) Discretionary and Statewide Transit Network projects not funded through the current oversubscribed discretionary 21-23 solicitation.

The formula fund distributions are detailed below. These distributions will be incorporated into biennial 21-23 grant agreements.

Public Transportation Division staff will issue guidance on these distributions soon.