Paper Details

TRB 91st Annual Meeting (January 22-26, 2012)

Event Number:	447
Event Title:	Explorations in Transit Management, Performance, and Funding
Event Date:	Jan 23 2012 7:30PM- 9:30PM
Event Location:	Hilton, International East
Event Description:
Event Agenda:

Developing Sustainable Methods of Distributing Federal Transit Funds: Three Models of Funding Distribution in Complex Metropolitan Planning Areas (12-4614)

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) apportions Section 5307 Urbanized Area funds to census designated urbanized areas (UZA). When urbanized areas contain multiple recipients of Section 5307 funds, the FTA leaves it up to local officials for determining a sub allocation to the multiple recipients. The question of how to allocate the funds on a local level is often asked but there is little documentation existing on the subject. The issue becomes increasingly complex the more agencies that exist within a UZA. Local officials within the UZAs must develop methods of allocating funds that satisfy the desires of each of the regional stakeholders. The nature in which metropolitan areas grow leads to multiple transit agencies existing within the urbanized area; thus desiring access to urbanized area formula funds. This paper identifies seven complex metropolitan areas across the United States each having multiple Section 5307 fund recipients. The report identifies the problems experienced with allocating Section 5307 funds at the local level and identifies three models of funding distribution techniques. The models of funding distribution include the following: formula; formula and regional project selection; regional project selection and local negotiations. Though only three models are identified, there is much variation within each model. The report provides details on the allocation within each region.

Authors
Sandidge, Stuart Matthew, Texas A&M Transportation Institute