North Texas is slated to receive over $174 million in federal infrastructure funding in 2022, which will be used to make public transportation improvements for the area. Congressman Colin Allred announced this development in a press release on April 13.
The new transportation funding is a fraction of the $650 million in infrastructure funding that Texas will receive in the near future. The funds were authorized by the federal Infrastructure and Jobs Act (IJA) a major bill passed in late 2021. Authorizing over $1 trillion in federal spending, the IJA is widely seen as one of the Biden administration’s biggest legislative achievements.
“This funding … will be a big deal for Texas,” Allred said. In addition to reducing traffic congestion, the incoming funding will “create jobs and grow our economy.”
This transportation funding will aid DART’s increasing focus on light rail. Last month, the Dallas City Council voted to continue D2, a long-standing project to expand Dallas’ subway and above-ground rail network. Mayor Eric Johnson said the council vote had enabled a “potentially transformative project for our city.”
Congressman Allred has also announced over $100 million in federal funding to repair North Texas bridges and $80 million to benefit local airports.
More than $60 million is also allocated to create infrastructure for electric vehicle (EV) charging.
The U.S. hopes to make EV charging stations as commonplace as gas stations, particularly along the interstate highway system. Over the next five years, the Biden administration plans to provide $5 billion to assist states in creating a broad network for electric vehicle recharging.
Expanding accessibility to EV charging facilities is part of the federal initiative designed to promote energy independence and reduce the carbon emissions experts blame for ongoing climate change.
Colin Allred wasn’t the only one to recently announce important changes in local public transportation. Last November, DART announced a plan to transform and grow its bus services in early 2022. In January, DART expanded its GoLink service, an on-demand bus service for passengers who don’t live near fixed bus stops. IJA funding will enable further bus line expansion in the region.