PROGRAMS OF THE FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION

This paper discusses various programs at the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). Funding programs, reauthorized by the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21) and directed toward state and transit operators, are first explained. Other major programs at the FTA, such as the Nonurbanized Formula Program, the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities Program, and the Metropolitan and State Planning and Research Programs, are also described. In the 2nd half of the paper, the joint metropolitan and statewide transportation planning programs, and their relevance to the National Park Service, are discussed. The nature of the relationship between the FTA and the Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) is provided. The 7 planning factors listed in TEA-21 that the MPOs and the states are required by statute to consider in their transportation planning process are outlined.