Federal Transit Administration Updates

The Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA) New Starts program is the federal government’s primary financial resource for supporting capital investments in locally planned, implemented and operated transit fixed guideway systems. So far the Central Subway Project has secured $92.4 million in New Starts funding, with a total of $942.2 million expected throughout the duration of the project.

The Central Subway Project must submit a New Starts Criteria Report each year to be evaluated under the federal New Starts review program. All aspects of the project are analyzed, including benefit-to-cost ratios, ridership and technical approach. A list of proposed allocations for past years is available on the Annual Report on New Starts page on the FTA’s website. See the Central Subway Project's most recent New Starts Report (PDF) for additional information.

In February 2012, the FTA released its Annual Report on Funding Recommendations for Fiscal Year 2013. The report includes annual ratings for projects currently competing for federal New Starts funds. For the fifth consecutive year, the Central Subway Project received a "medium-high" overall rating (PDF). The project received a "high” rating for land-use benefits and economic development and a "medium" rating for local financial commitment. This rating is among the highest of all projects in the New Starts process nationwide. While not a guarantee of funding, the rating means that the project will continue to move forward, with encouraging prospects for a Full Funding Grant Agreement (FFGA) with the federal government.

The following table summarizes the ratings the project has achieved in recent New Starts project assessments.

FTA New Starts Fiscal Year Proposed Allocations	Central Subway Overall Rating
FY 2013, Project Profile	Medium-high
FY 2012, Project Profile  (PDF)	Medium-high
FY 2011, Project Profile  (PDF)	Medium-high
FY 2010	Medium-high
FY 2009	Medium-high

FTA New Starts Program Background

For the past 35 years, the New Starts program has helped make possible hundreds of new or extended transit fixed guideway systems across the country. Federal investment in rail and bus transit has improved the mobility of millions of Americans, helping to reduce congestion, improve air quality and enhance quality of life. 

The FTA’s New Starts program is subject to the toughest review of any federal funding program, receiving far greater scrutiny than highway investments. The Central Subway Project is one of the nation’s highest-rated projects in the New Starts program.

New Starts investments are creating jobs now and putting us on track for economic growth in the future.