Central Subway Blog

We thought you would like to see how transit projects in other cities are doing and where the Central Subway Project fits in!

This year the FTA is working with eighteen transit projects similar to Central Subway. All of them have unique challenges and local issues, but all are following the same funding approval as the  Central Subway Project.

Here is a quick summary to look over and compare the Central Subway Project with other transit projects:

• San Francisco is one of two U.S. Light Rail Transit (LRT) projects entering final design with a Medium-High rating – the Project has achieved and held this rating for three consecutive years – see spreadsheet in column B, Overall Project Rating.
• If we include those ahead of the Central Subway now waiting for the FFGA, the Central Subway is one of three out of ten LRT/Bus Rapid Transit projects to achieve a Medium-High rating. Every project in the U.S. that has achieved a series of Medium-High ratings has received a commitment from the federal government for FTA funding.
• Like the Central Subway, all of the projects are new, major urban connectors mostly involving significant tunneling, bridges, electrification, new vehicles, and exclusive Guideway – see spreadsheet “Projects” column, Seattle, University Link Minneapolis Central Corridor, in bold type.
• San Francisco’s total capital costs are below the average of the $1.8 billion project costs for the six projects entering Final Design – see spreadsheet column D.
• At the same time, the $942 million dollar federal Total New Starts Funding is the highest percentage for all six projects waiting for the FFGA. The amount is well above the average of $710 million – this is due in part to recognition of the Phase 1 local funding – see spreadsheet column E.
• The President’s budget proposes (see spreadsheet last column H) annual allocations that approach the Project’s expected allocations for the Central Subway after the FFGA.
• The President’s budget proposes the allocation of the full amount requested for the Central Subway in 2011 – the amount that the Project cash flow requires next year.

Transit Project that FTA Recommended for FFGAs in its 2011 Annual Report to Congress

Source: FTA 2010 Annual New Starts Report to Congress, FY 2011 Funding for New Starts and Small Starts Projects

The table below shows the eighteen projects.

New Starts Funding Table