Brady PieperA public transit authority in Hamilton County, Ohio is funding infrastructure projects that improve bus services and local roads, bridges and sidewalks.
Cincinnati Metro, a public service of the Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority (SORTA), is opening the fifth round of applications for the Metro Transit Infrastructure Fund (MTIF), an annual grant program that enhances roadway infrastructure for residents. Delivering more than $330 million since its inception, MTIF will accept applications for this funding cycle until May 31.
Cincinnati Metro and the MTIF program are funded by a 0.8% voter-approved sales tax in Hamilton County. Administered by SORTA, the raised funding is designated for Metro’s bus services and infrastructure improvements on roads, bridges and sidewalks within the authority’s service area.
For this round, Metro Transit will encourage all municipalities and townships in Hamilton County to apply for program funding. MTIF funds will support only the reimbursement of construction and contingency costs related to an eligible infrastructure project.
While applicants may request funding for a prospective project, MTIF will not award a single project more than 50% of the overall fund in any given year.
Cincinnati Metro will award funding to eligible projects within three-quarters of a mile of a Metro fixed transit route, excluding those on limited access highways. All other projects must be located within the Transportation Infrastructure Fund Boundary.
Applicants’ projects will be scored on supporting criteria, including priority, transit impact, ability to proceed, availability of matching funds, regional impact and relative economic strength. The physical condition of the infrastructure that is to be repaired, renovated or replaced will be the strongest consideration for evaluators.
At the conclusion of the application period, SORTA staff will evaluate and score project proposals. The Transit Authority Board and the county’s Integration Committee will provide recommendations and final approval for projects by late summer. Metro will enter into final funding agreements with awardees in the fourth quarter of 2025.
Since 2021, the MTIF program has delivered more than $333 million to infrastructure projects throughout Hamilton County. The program is designed to enhance the safety, accessibility and mobility for the county’s residents and transit riders.
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Rdikeman via Wikimedia Commons
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