Maryland Transit Administration

FTA's Role in Planning Transit Projects

The Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) is responsible for planning transit projects in accordance with Federal requirements.The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) guides the Planning and Project Development Process. Through this process, projects are chosen to receive Federal funds.

How does the FTA decide what projects to fund across the country?

The Federal program which funds large transit projects is called “New Starts.” It includes new transit lines and extensions to existing transit systems. Keep in mind, the Federal government requires that at least half of the project’s funding be contributed by state and local sources.

Unfortunately, the number of proposed projects nationwide is far greater then FTA’s New Starts budget. The FTA decides funding for projects on a wide range of criteria, including the following:

• How does the proposed transit service perform? Is the travel time better? Does it better serve populated areas? The answers to these questions will help determine how many people will use the service.
• How cost-effective is the project? This is not the same as asking, “How expensive is it?” The point here is “How much bang are you getting for your buck?”
• What is the land use in the area? Does the project fit in with future plans for the local area?
• How does the new project compare to upgrading the existing system? n Do the state and local governments have the resources to pay for their portion of the project?
• Does the project benefit the environment?

In general, a project that produces encouraging answers to these questions is more likely to receive New Starts funding.

The Project Development Process

Once funding is approved, large transit projects go through a three-phase study process to be sure that all the options are considered and the most propriate decision is made. View the Study Process display board.