New Starts (U.S. federal transit)
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| New Starts (U.S. federal transit) | |
|---|---|
| Name | New Starts (U.S. federal transit) |
| Type | Federal funding program |
| Established | 1991 |
| Administered by | Federal Transit Administration |
| Jurisdiction | United States |
New Starts (U.S. federal transit) is a United States law-based capital investment grant program administered by the Federal Transit Administration that provides funding for major public transportation projects such as new rail and bus rapid transit systems. The program links planning and federal financing under statutes including the ISTEA, the TEA-21, and the FAST Act, and interacts with agencies such as the Department of Transportation and the Government Accountability Office. New Starts grants have supported projects across metropolitan regions including Los Angeles, New York City, Chicago, Seattle, and San Francisco, influencing urban development, transit-oriented development, and regional mobility.
Overview
The New Starts program was created by legislative reforms in the early 1990s including ISTEA and further shaped by TEA-21 and the SAFETEA-LU, with subsequent direction from the Federal Transit Administration and oversight by the Congress of the United States and the Office of Management and Budget. Eligible capital investments typically include new fixed-guideway rail projects, bus rapid transit corridors, and extensions sponsored by metropolitan planning organizations such as the MTA or transit agencies like the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the Chicago Transit Authority. The program’s statutory framework references the National Environmental Policy Act processes and coordination with entities including the Environmental Protection Agency and state departments of transportation such as the California Department of Transportation.
Funding and Eligibility Criteria
Funding decisions for New Starts projects hinge on statutory cost thresholds, local financial commitments, and project readiness, as set by the Federal Transit Administration and codified through appropriations by the United States Congress. Applicants must demonstrate capital cost estimates, operating plans, and funding sources involving local agencies like the MTC or state authorities such as the Texas Department of Transportation. Eligible projects compete for discretionary grants alongside other federal programs administered by the U.S. Department of Transportation, and funding amounts are subject to congressional appropriations overseen by committees in the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives.
Evaluation and Rating Process
The FTA evaluates New Starts candidates using a multi-criteria process incorporating measures of mobility, cost-effectiveness, land use, and economic development; this approach involves analyses by external bodies including the Government Accountability Office and input from metropolitan planning organizations such as the Northeastern Illinois Planning Commission. Projects receive numerical ratings—such as "High" or "Medium"—that influence grant recommendations provided to decision-makers in the Office of Management and Budget and committees in the United States Congress. Evaluation draws on modeling tools used by agencies like the Metropolitan Council and consulting firms that have supported projects in cities like Denver, Portland, Oregon, and Minneapolis.
Project Development Phases
New Starts projects progress through stages including alternatives analysis, preliminary engineering, Final Design, and full funding grant agreements, paralleling processes under the National Environmental Policy Act and requiring coordination with federal entities such as the Federal Transit Administration and state environmental agencies. Sponsors—often transit operators like the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority or regional authorities such as the MTC—must secure local matching funds, complete environmental reviews, and negotiate full funding grant agreements modeled on precedents from projects in Boston, Philadelphia, and Baltimore.
Historical Impact and Notable Projects
New Starts has financed signature projects including the Metrorail extensions, the Portland MAX Light Rail expansions, the Los Angeles Metro Rail light rail and subway projects, the San Francisco Muni Metro upgrades, and the Dallas Area Rapid Transit light rail system. These investments intersect with urban policy debates involving entities like the Urban Land Institute, academic researchers at institutions such as Harvard University and MIT, and planning organizations like the American Planning Association. The program’s legacy includes contributions to transit-oriented development in corridors influenced by projects in Arlington County, Virginia, Cambridge, Massachusetts, and Charlotte, North Carolina.
Criticisms and Legal Challenges
Critics including advocacy groups such as the Reason Foundation and analyses by the Government Accountability Office have questioned New Starts’ cost estimation practices, ridership forecasts, and criteria that may favor rail over bus-based solutions promoted by agencies like the Federal Transit Administration. Legal challenges and disputes have arisen involving environmental reviews under the National Environmental Policy Act and permitting disputes involving state agencies such as the California Coastal Commission and local governments including county boards and municipal councils. Scholars from Princeton University and think tanks like the Brookings Institution have debated program impacts on equity, displacement, and fiscal sustainability.
Legislative and Administrative Changes
Over time, statutory amendments and administrative directives from secretaries such as those in the United States Department of Transportation and guidance from the Federal Transit Administration have adjusted New Starts procedures, incorporating performance-based criteria and aligning with surface-transportation bills including the FAST Act. Congressional oversight by committees such as the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works continues to shape program funding levels, evaluation standards, and relationships with complementary programs administered by agencies like the Federal Highway Administration.