Nearly $80 billion needed to shore up nation’s rail, bus system, study shows

The nation’s rail and bus transit systems need almost $80 billion in improvements to get the system into a good state of repair.

A new study by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) released Wednesday estimates it would cost $77.7 billion to shore up the nation’s rail and bus lines and another $14.4 billion a year to maintain the systems. 

While most of the $77.7 billion backlog can be attributed to rail, more than 40 percent of the nation’s buses are also in poor to marginal condition, according to the report. 

The study — the National State of Good Repair Assessment — is a follow-up to the 2009 Rail Modernization Study report to Congress and provides an analysis of the costs required to improve the nation’s rail and bus transit systems.

“Transit remains one of the safest forms of transportation, but this report shows the clear need to reinvest in our bus, subway and light rail systems,” Transportation Department Secretary Ray LaHood said Wednesday in a statement. 

The FTA is providing $775 million through a competitive funding program. So far, about 400 project applications worth about $4.2 billion have been submitted for the grants.

“Investment in the nation’s transit infrastructure is important to a healthy economy and most importantly, the safety and well-being of our riders,” FTA Administrator Peter Rogoff said in a statement.