07-23-04
Contact: Melissa Sabatine
Telephone: (202) 366-4043
Washington– A $32.8 million grant to help fund the first Metrorail extension beyond the Capital Beltway in Prince George’s County, Maryland was announced today by U.S. Secretary of Transportation Norman Y. Mineta.
“Public transit connects people to jobs, shoppers to stores and Americans to the rapidly growing economy,” Secretary Mineta said.
The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority will use the federal funds to continue construction of a 3.8-mile extension of its regional Metrorail system. The extension will provide additional Blue Line service from the existing Addison Road Station to the Largo Town Center.
The project includes new stations at Morgan Boulevard and at Largo Town Center. When completed in December 2004, the Largo Town Center station will provide residents, commuters and tourists with rail access to the new Boulevard Cap Center retail development. The new Morgan Boulevard Station will house a daycare center and bring riders within walking distance of FedEx Field. Average weekday boardings are projected to reach 28,500 riders by 2020.
To date, $153.7 million in federal “New Starts” funding has been provided for this project. The New Starts program primarily supports the construction of new rail and subway systems. Recipients of New Starts grants engage in one of the most rigorous financial planning, project development and engineering processes in government.
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