President Obama recently signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, (ARRA) perhaps better known as the Federal Stimulus Plan. St. Joseph Transit will be receiving roughly $1.3 million to fund infrastructure improvements.

As called for in the legislation, the money must be spent on “shovel-ready” projects, meaning that it should be used within 180 days of being received. Federal guidelines state that this money must be used for capital infrastructure, such as the purchase of security equipment, upgrading passenger information systems and repair and improvements of buildings and grounds, and cannot be used to fund operations. As a result, the money cannot be used to enhance or expand bus service.

St. Joseph Transit has been working for several months to develop plans for the stimulus funding, and will easily meet this deadline. Doing so may enable St Joseph Transit access to additional funding if other parts of the country aren’t able to use their stimulus money in the time allowed.

Once the funding is received, St Joseph Transit will purchase the following:

1. Upgrading our trip scheduling equipment and software
2. Enhancing our customer information system
3. Installing Automated Voice Annunciators that announce upcoming bus stops both visually and audibly for passengers new to our system and to our visually and hearing impaired customers.
4. Repairing the north Wal-Mart and Hy-Vee Transfer Centers
5. Upgrading video security at the Downtown Transit Center and adding video security to the Administrative Building and north Wal-Mart and Hy-Vee transfer centers.
6. Installing security gates and access control at the administrative building to enhance protection of assets and employees.
7. Purchasing spare engines and drive train components for buses to assure short repair times in case of major component failure.
8. Repair and upgrade drainage and environmental containment components to meet present and future wastewater concerns.
9. Perform painting and maintenance to Administrative and Transit Center buildings and grounds to maintain City assets.
10. Replace and repair Administrative building Fire suppression system.
11. Purchase and install bicycle racks on all buses to enhance alternate travel opportunities to the community
12. Replace two service vehicles

We believe that these infrastructure improvements and customer service enhancements will go along way toward providing safe, secure, well maintained equipment and facilities for all users of the transit system. All of these projects were promised back in February 2008 when the voters were asked to support a dedicated sales tax to keep transit operating.

The ARRA has enabled us to move the project timetable up, in some instances, by almost five years. We look forward to completing these projects as soon as possible and will keep you updated on their progress.