COUNTY ACCEPTS FEDERAL TRANSPORTATION GRANT 

The feds are directing a $7.696 million transportation grant Rockland County’s way, county officials announced Wednesday. Rockland County Executive Ed Day signed a resolution to accept the monies this week.

The Federal Transit Administration capital funds will be used for park and rides, bus shelters and other transit infrastructure needs, including a rehab projects for the county’s TRIPS bus facility in Pomona. More than $5 million will fund a Park and Ride in Monsey, at the intersection of Saddle River Road and Route 59. 

“We will make long-term investments in our transportation system without tapping into local tax dollars,” County Executive Day said. 

The funds will also be used to replace TRIPS buses, for staffing and grants management and to offset certain costs of bus operations, such as preventive maintenance. The grant is part of the total $11.8 million in capital funding from FTA and state DOT that the county has applied for, secured and allocated in the past year to upgrade transportation infrastructure, purchase buses and support bus operations. 

The state DOT will pay 10 percent of the required local match for the grant. The remaining 10 percent will be provided through the county’s MTA Special Allocation Funds. 

The county’s Public Transportation Department operates the TOR, Tappan Zee Express and TRIPS bus services with a $27 million annual budget. That budget requires no county tax dollars thanks to state and federal grants. 

Rockland County applies for and receives approximately $10 million per year in formula-based State Transportation Operating Assistance and other State operating funds. In addition, Rockland County also receives $4 million per year in formula-based federal capital funds as well as formula-based State capital funds, like the $3.8 million allocated in August. There is also a minimum allocation of $2.5 million per year from MTA.

ROCKLAND COUNTY PRESS RELEASE 

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