CLEVELAND — EDITOR'S NOTE: The video above previously aired in an unrelated story on Aug. 23, 2022.
The Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (GCRTA) received two grants totaling $11.5 million in funding from the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT).
An $8 million grant will go toward the GCRTA’s Rail Car Replacement Program. The funding for the project comes directly from ODOT's Ohio Transit Partnership Program.
“This is the third year that ODOT has awarded funding to the Rail Car Replacement Program and brings the total ODOT funding to $21.4 million,” said GCRTA Deputy General Manager Engineering & Project Management, Mike Schipper. “With this award, GCRTA has now raised $197.5 million of the $300 million total program budget.”
The $3.5 million grant from ODOT's Urban Transit Program will be used for the GCRTA’s Bus Improvement Program to replace six 40-foot diesel buses with six environmentally friendly 40-foot Compressed Natural Gas powered buses.
“This funding will assist GCRTA in moving forward in our plans to upgrade our rail and bus fleets,” said GCRTA General Manager, Chief Executive Officer India Birdsong. “Funding opportunities such as these underscore the importance of public transportation to our region and subsequent investment in our communities. We are extremely pleased with the outcome of this round of funding and appreciate ODOT’s continued support of our Rail car and Bus Replacement programs."
EDITOR'S NOTE: The video above previously aired on 3News on April 5, 2022.