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Greetings and Happy New Year from FTA’s Region 10! FTA is working to improve regional communication with the rollout of our refreshed regional newsletters. With support from our Office of Communications, we aim to enhance how we share valuable updates and resources with our partners throughout the Pacific Northwest and Alaska. In each edition, our goal will be to distribute timely information in an engaging format to bring you our community updates, stories, important dates, and other information. We hope that this will become a valuable resource for you over time, and I’m looking forward to sharing some of the great work the transit community has been conducting throughout our region. Please feel free to share any inspiring stories you have with your FTA point-of-contact, which might be featured in our next newsletter!
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According to a recent FTA report on transit trends, ridership in the United States continues to increase, growing by more than 17% nationwide from 2022 to 2023. The increase reflects more Americans choosing to take buses, subways, light rail, and other modes to travel to work, school, services, and weekend activities across the country and came as transit agencies better understood ridership needs following travel pattern changes during the pandemic. Learn more.
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The competitive grants through FTA’s Tribal Transit Program enable Tribes to buy transit vehicles, upgrade bus facilities, and expand or improve transit service. TInfrastructure Investment and Jobs Act includes nearly $46 million in competitive funding over five years for the Tribal Transit Program, an increase of nearly 83%. Learn more. |
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We are proud to support the Tribes and Native Villages in Region 10 receiving grants, which will enable them to buy transit vehicles, upgrade bus facilities, and expand or improve bus service, helping residents get to jobs, school, and other opportunities: congratulations to the Gulkana Village Council (Soaring Eagle Transit), the Native Village of Unalakleet, the Ninilchik Village Tribe, the Sitka Tribe, the Klamath Tribes (Quail Trail Public Transit), and the Cowlitz Indian Tribe. Learn more.
Special recognition is in order for the Sitka Tribe, who signed their Tribal self-governance agreement at USDOT HQ on January 13th. As part of the ceremony, FTA formally announced the 2024 Tribal Transit grants and informed the Sitka Tribe that they will receive funding to buy a new transit van to replace an older vehicle and maintenance equipment to keep other vans in a state of good repair. This will allow the tribe, located on the west coast of Baranof Island, to better serve residents with access to education and healthcare.
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This year, the updated CIG Reporting Instructions, templates, and standard cost category worksheets are being released in January, reflecting the updated CIG Policy Guidance. This week, FTA will post updated CIG reporting instructions, templates, and standard cost category worksheets on FTA’s website. These documents are updated annually by FTA and should be used by:
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Project sponsors seeking a rating for advancement into the next phase of the CIG process (Engineering or a construction grant agreement);
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Project sponsors seeking a rating at any time other than a formal approval step in the CIG process; and
- Project sponsors who wish to have their project evaluated and rated for consideration as a funding recommendation in the upcoming FY 2027 Annual Report to Congress. The due date for submittal of complete information to FTA for the FY 2027 Annual Report is Friday August 22, 2025.
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Allakaket Village Initiates Transit Service
In December, the Allakaket Village in Alaska took delivery of their first-ever FTA-funded paratransit van and began a critically needed service for all residents, including several residents with disabilities. The village, home to 177 residents, is located on the south bank of the Koyukuk River, southwest of its junction with the Alatna River, approximately 190 miles northwest of Fairbanks and 57 miles upriver from Hughes.
The service begins at crucial time as the long winter arrives, and in a region where moose, bears, and wolves often roam, the new transit program is essential to safeguard residents’ well-being, ensuring safe and accessible transportation.
“The village kids love to ride in a warm vehicle to school and home every day, and the village elders are enjoying trips to the store and post office,” says Tribal Transportation Assistance Coordinator and transit driver Brooke Williams. “I can haul more water for homes, and passengers can still ride with me. Allakaket is really loving the transport van. Thank you so much for helping our Tribal Village.”
FTA awards the first Neighborhood Access and Equity Program grant in the nation to Sound Transit (Seattle, WA)
On Wednesday, December 11, FTA Region 10 Administrator Susan Fletcher and Sound Transit Interim CEO Goran Sparrman signed the first Fiscal Year 2023 USDOT Neighborhood Access and Equity Program grant for approximately $69.8 million. These funds will be used to construct the South Renton Transit Center and Tukwila International Boulevard Station including platforms, new pedestrian bridges, transit center, signal prioritization, sidewalks, crosswalks, benches, lighting, signage and bike parking for Sound Transit’s new I-405 Stride Bus Rapid Transit Project.
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Skagit Transit Maintenance Operations Administration Facility Renovation ($19,500,000): This project will renovate Skagit Transit's Maintenance, Operations, and Administration Facility. The improvements include the complete buildout of transit staff offices, conference rooms, breakrooms, inventory and file storage, light and heavy-duty vehicle maintenance bays, workshops for vehicle body repair, and a parts warehouse. Site improvements include new landscaping, fencing, parking layout, and zero emissions charging infrastructure.
Graham Street Station ($25,000,000): This project will construct Sound Transit’s Graham Street light rail station. The project includes landscaping, drainage, utilities, streetlights, pedestrian and bicycle safety improvements, and bus stop improvements.
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The U.S. Department of Transportation's Build America Bureau recently announced a Notice of Funding Opportunity for the Rural and Tribal Assistance Pilot Program. Established by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the program offers $27 million in technical assistance grants for rural and tribal transportation project planning and design. No local funding match is required, and up to $10 million is allocated for Tribal applicants. Applications will be accepted starting Tuesday, March 4 and are due by April 3. |
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Region 10 is happy to welcome two new staff members:
Todd Tillinger joined the FTA Region 10 team in December as the Lead Environmental Protection Specialist in the Office of Planning and Program Development. Todd brings 34 years of engineering and environmental experience with him. Prior to joining FTA, Todd was most recently the Regulatory Chief for the US Army Corps of Engineers Seattle District. He also led the Corps Regulatory Programs in Nashville District and in Montana for Omaha District. Prior to his regulatory duties, he was a hydraulic engineer with the Corps Kansas City District after working for six years as a hydraulic engineer with the Montana Department of Transportation. He has extensive experience with environmental programs, including Clean Water Act and Rivers and Harbors Act permitting. He also has engineering experience with water resource engineering and design. Todd is a Licensed Professional Engineer and holds Masters and Bachelors of Science degrees in Civil Engineering from Montana State University in Bozeman, MT. In his free time, he and his wife enjoy exploring and touring by bicycle, camping, traveling, eating good food, and spending time with friends and family.
Tara Barancik has joined Region 10 this month as a Grants Management Specialist. She started her federal career in 2010 and has worked in grants management for both the US Department of State and US Department of Labor in Washington, DC. As part of the Department of Labor’s Promoting Quality Jobs in Infrastructure Development project, she recently worked on the South Commuter Railway, a 35-mile suburban railway connecting to Manila, Philippines, and the Trans South-South Java Road in Indonesia. In her free time, Tara likes exploring the Pacific Northwest, loves watching baseball and soccer, tasting teas, and is learning how to sail with her husband Luke. Newer to the area, Seattle reminds her of her Michigan roots and provides both city and outdoor adventures close by (for which she is always taking new recommendations!). Tara holds a Master of Arts in International Affairs and Development from The George Washington University. She also has a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish and a Bachelor of Business Administration from Saginaw Valley State University in Michigan.
We strongly urge all grantees to upload their Authorizing Resolution and Opinion of Counsel before the March 5, 2025, deadline. On December 6, 2024, FTA’s Associate Administrator of Program Management issued a Dear Colleague letter highlighting that the following two documents must be uploaded to an agency’s profile to support verification of their legal capacity to carry out the project(s) included in federal assistance awards:
- Opinion of Counsel
- Authorizing Resolution
Beginning March 5, 2025, TrAMS will prevent any recipients that have not properly identified the Opinion of Counsel and Authorizing Resolution in their Recipient Document profile from transmitting or submitting new applications unless they have correctly labeled and/or uploaded their required legal documents.
Information on this enhancement and a short tutorial video are available on FTA’s TrAMS webpage.
Partial Year Apportionments
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Contact Information:
915 Second Avenue
Suite 3192
Seattle, WA 98174-1002
United States
Region 10 | FTA
Business Hours:
8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. PT, M-F.
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Regional Phone: 206-220-7954 Regional Email: x@x.com |
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