TPB Approves Ten Projects to Improve Transportation for Disabled and Low-Income

[Howard Hartman]

Transportation Planning Board Approves Ten Projects to Improve Transportation for People with Disabilities and Low-Income Commuters

The National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board (TPB) approved today over $2.3 million in funding for ten projects, which will improve transportation access and mobility of persons with disabilities and low-income commuters in the region.

The projects include initiatives by Boat People SOS ($165,848), Columbia Lighthouse for the Blind ($259,000), and the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority ($987,572) to provide travel training for people with disabilities. Family Matters of Greater Washington will receive $368,535 to offer car loans for low-income working families in the District of Columbia and Prince George’s County with limited access to transit. The Prince William County Area Agency on Aging will receive $200,000 to develop a plan to identify transportation resources for residents who are older, have disabilities or are unable to drive. For a full list of projects, click here.

“I am pleased that the TPB has shown leadership on improving access for transportation-disadvantaged populations by putting their money where their mouth is,” said Alexandria Councilmember Tim Lovain, Chair of the TPB Human Service Transportation Coordination Task Force that oversaw the selection. “Not only has the TPB advocated for change, but they have funded projects that will truly improve the daily lives of people with disabilities and those with limited incomes.”

Lovain was honored by his TPB colleagues for his work leading the task force and overseeing the funding of 26 projects over the past three years, including last year’s program bringing wheelchair accessible cabs to the District of Columbia for the first time. Lovain, who did not win reelection to the Alexandria City Council earlier this year, championed the TPB’s evolving role from planning to becoming active in funding and implementing projects.

Since 2006, the TPB has been the designated recipient of federal funding under the Job Access Reverse Commute (JARC) and New Freedom programs of the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). The TPB selects projects through a competitive process that includes members representing transportation, disability, and workforce development organizations. JARC provides capital and operating funding for services that improve access to jobs for low-income persons. New Freedom provides capital and operating funding for transit and paratransit services and improvements for persons with disabilities that are new and go beyond those required by the Americans with Disabilities Act.