New Starts

The Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA's) New Starts Program is the federal government’s primary funding option for local “guideway” transit projects, such as rapid rail, light rail, commuter rail, people movers, and exclusive facilities for buses and other high-occupancy vehicles (such as bus rapid transit). FTA evaluates New Starts projects throughout the project development process. New Starts projects must be justified based on several criteria. Project justification criteria are initially developed as part of an alternatives analysis and are refined throughout the preliminary engineering and final design phases of project development. In addition, project sponsors must demonstrate adequate local support for the project.

revive285 top end may include a transit component, in which case projects will be reviewed for eligibility to participate in the New Starts Program to leverage federal funds. Projects seeking New Starts funding must go through alternatives analysis to produce a locally preferred alternative that is adopted in the Regional Transportation Plan (RTP). Once included in the Regional Transportation Plan, a project sponsor may request FTA entrance into preliminary engineering (PE). PE includes additional engineering analyses and results in the completion of all environmental requirements. PE also typically marks the beginning of FTA's project management oversight function. The next stage of development is final design, which also requires FTA approval. It is within final design that candidate projects are considered by FTA for a Full Funding Grant Agreement.