"We are pleased and excited that the State Avenue bus rapid transit project received substantial federal funding today," Mayor Joe Reardon said. "As we work to create new jobs in our county it is critical that we improve transit for our citizens. This funding will continue to bring to reality our vision to improve public transit in Wyandotte County."

Based on planning and project development studies initiated by the Unified Government, the additional funding will help support existing transit service and allow for the implementation of the State Avenue Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), which will incorporate traffic-signal priority, real-time bus information, enhanced branding, and a limited of stops.

The State Avenue route connects KCMO's Central Business District to Downtown KCK and Village West in western Wyandotte County.  The money awarded today comes from a pot of $1.5 billion in discretionary money that was contained in the $787 billion stimulus package that Congress approved last year.

The TIGER (Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery) Discretionary Grant Program was included in the Recovery Act to spur a national competition for innovative, multi-modal and multi-jurisdictional transportation projects that promise significant economic and environmental benefits to an entire metropolitan area, a region or the nation.  Projects funded with the $1.5 billion allocated in the Recovery Act include improvements to roads, bridges, rail, ports, transit and intermodal facilities.

"TIGER grants will tackle the kind of major transportation projects that have been difficult to build under other funding programs," said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. "This will help us meet the 21st century challenges of improving the environment, making our communities more livable and enhancing safety, all while creating jobs and growing the economy."

Officials said $22 million would go for developing regional transit corridors in Johnson and Wyandotte counties.