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FY2026 Buses and Bus Facilities Grant Application for ADA-Compliant Bus Stop improvements
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DESCRIPTION: Ratification of an application for federal grant funding to construct ADA-complaint improvements at bus stops throughout the RTA system AGENDA NO: Click or tap here to enter text.
ACTION REQUEST: Approval
RECOMMENDATION:
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Ratify the Interim Chief Executive Officer’s decision to apply for federal funds not to exceed $2,160,919 under the Federal Transit Administration’s FY2026 Grants for Buses and Bus Facilities Program for construction of ADA-compliant improvements at bus stops throughout the RTA system. The total project amount is $2,701,149 with a required local match not to exceed $540,230. The local match is not to exceed 20%.
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ISSUE/BACKGROUND:
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The New Orleans Regional Transit Authority (RTA) and the City of New Orleans are subject to a federal consent decree requiring noncompliant transit stops to be brought into compliance with applicable federal accessibility standards by November 30, 2031. A 2015 bus stop accessibility survey identified approximately 2,092 transit stops requiring improvements in order to become compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Many locations lack a compliant boarding and alighting area, accessible connection, or other infrastructure needed for riders who use wheelchairs, other mobility devices, or who have other accessibility needs. In December 2024, the RTA Board approved Resolution No. 24-070 authorizing a task order to complete an updated transit stops inventory to assess, among other characteristics, the ADA compliance of all 2028 RTA transit stops. This inventory, which was completed in 2026, yielded an updated count of 1,827 bus stops requiring accessibility improvements.
The proposed grant project advances the Equity goal of RTA’s 2023 Strategic Mobility Plan. Action BE7 directs RTA to work with the City, in accordance with legal agreements, to ensure that all t...
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