Mass Transit: Status of New Starts Transit Projects With Full Funding Grant Agreements

007706601999PDFResearch PaperReport No: GAO/RCED-99-240Public transitCapital expendituresGovernment fundingGrant aidEvaluation and assessmentConstruction performanceFederal fundingFull funding grant agreementsMass transit projectsNew startsPublic transportation projectsUnited StatesUnited States. Government Accountability OfficeUS Transportation CollectionSince the early 1970s, the federal government has provided a large share of the nation?s capital investment in urban mass transportation. Much of this investment has come through the Federal Transit Administration?s (FTA) ?new starts? program, which funds up to 80 percent of major new rail and bus transit systems that use separate and exclusive rights-of-way, as well as extensions to existing systems. FTA has entered into full funding grant agreements1 totaling $5.1 billion for 14 new starts transit projects that are currently under construction. This report assesses the progress and cost of these projects in terms of the schedule and cost estimates in the grant agreements. The report describes the status of each project, identifies those projects that have experienced changes in their baseline cost estimates, and provides information on the reasons for the changes. 16 Appendices, 15 tables. 39p.75