CapMetro Receives $65M in Federal Funding for New High-Speed ​​Lines

Austin, Texas – CapMetro received a $65 million grant from the Federal Transportation Administration on the Pleasant Valley Line and Expo Center Rapid.

The funding was announced at an event in Austin; Speakers included Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-TX 35), FTA Administrator Nuria Fernandez, CapMetro Chairman and Travis County Commissioner Jeff Travillion, Austin Pro Tempore Mayor and CapMetro Board Member Paige Ellis, Austin Transit Partnership Chairman Veronica Castro de Barrera . and CapMetro President and CEO Dottie Watkins.

The Pleasant Valley and Expo Center CapMetro Rapid lines are part of Project Connect and will have a zero emission fleet.

“The start of a very optimistic future, a future that is getting brighter every day,” said Fernandez.

“These funds really change the rules of the game,” said Barrera. “They are critical and fulfill our commitment to providing frequent services to efficiently move Austin residents through the heartbeat of our city.”

The Pleasant Valley Line will run from Mueller to Goodnight Ranch, and the Expo Center Line will run from East Austin to downtown.

“We know there’s been a strong prejudice here in Texas for a long time and still is in favor of using our entire transportation system in cars that drive on ever wider highways,” said Rep. Doggett. “While we need good road infrastructure, it is important to improve the public transport infrastructure.”

“It brings communities together, and importantly, communities that have often been divided,” Travillion said.

Two new Rapid lines will enter service in 2025.