AMES, IA The Iowa Transportation Commission approves more than $1.5 million in funding to support three public transit projects. The projects are funded under the state Public Transit Infrastructure Grant Fund.

The Public Transit Infrastructure Grant Fund provides state funding assistance to Iowa's public transit systems for new or improved facilities to support their public transit services. The Iowa General Assembly appropriates funding to this program on an annual basis. State participation is limited to 80 percent of the cost of the project and the balance must be matched with funding from local sources. 

Three projects were approved by the Commission:

Three in-ground vehicle hoists (CyRide-Ames): $405,009
Land and construction of Humboldt facility (Region 5-Ft. Dodge): $539,895
Maintenance facility rehabilitation (Cambus-The University of Iowa) $600,000

"The Public Transit Infrastructure Grant Program is a vital source of funding for public transit systems. This program enables transit systems to construct and maintain facilities that are critical to the operation of the system and maintenance of the vehicles and frees up other sources of funding to keep buses on the road. This year, we received applications for 10 projects." said Ryan Ward, Transit Programs Administrator, Office of Public Transit for the Iowa Department of Transportation.

Public transit service is available in all 99 counties. It provides more than 28 million rides a year getting Iowans where they need to go.