Santa Clarita will receive an $18.3 million transportation grant as part of the federal coronavirus relief bill, U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao announced this week.
Santa Clarita will use the Federal Transit Administration grant funds to support transit in the city and neighboring communities during the COVID-19 public health emergency, Chao said.
The grant is part of $25 billion provided for public transit nationwide.
“This historic $25 billion in grant funding will ensure our nation’s public transportation systems can continue to provide services to the millions of Americans who continue to depend on them,” Chao said in a statement.
Federal officials said the support is critical in getting essential employees to work and supporting American transit workers.
“We know many of our nation’s public transportation systems are facing extraordinary challenges and these funds will go a long way to assisting our transit industry partners in battling COVID-19,” FTA Acting Administrator K. Jane Williams said. “These federal funds will support operating assistance to transit agencies of all sizes providing essential travel and supporting transit workers across the country who are unable to work because of the public health emergency.”
The FTA statement also highlighted an April safety advisory prompting transit agencies to implement policies such as masks and other personal protective equipment as well as practices for disinfecting equipment and social distancing. The relief funds can be used to cover all of the related costs.
