(Washington, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) applauded the announcement by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) that King County’s Department of Transportation will receive funding under the 2012 Bus Livability Program. According to the DOT’s Federal Transit Administration, the Bus Livability Program makes funds available to public transportation providers to finance capital projects to replace, rehabilitate, and purchase buses and related equipment and to construct bus-related facilities, including programs of bus and bus-related projects. The grants are part of the Partnership for Sustainable Communities’ livability funding.  As Chair of the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Subcommittee, Senator Murray included funding for this important competitive grant program.

“I am so pleased the Department of Transportation has announced that Washington state transportation projects will be receiving this critical support,” said Senator Murray. “This is an important investment in our transportation system, and it will make a difference for commuters in King County.”

The Federal Transit Administration will make available approximately $4 million from its FY 2012 Section 5309 Bus and Bus Facilities program in support of King County Department of Transportation’s Bus Livability Initiative. The funding will go toward improving the Third Avenue transit corridor in Seattle. More about the Bus Livability Program HERE.