Transportation Secretary Announces New Buses for Glacier

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood visited Glacier National Park today to announce $12.5 million in grants for 29 projects in 20 states to improve access to America’s national parks, forests, and wildlife refuges. Among those projects was a $250,000 grant to purchase two fuel-efficient buses. The new buses will be used as part of Glacier’s free shuttle service, which helps to reduce traffic congestion along the along the Going-to-the-Sun Road.

The funds for the grants are provided through the Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA) Paul S. Sarbanes Transit in Parks program, which awarded $40.8 million for similar projects in January 2012. Over the last three years $80 million has been distributed to 134 Transit in the Parks projects across the country. This grant program was not reauthorized under the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21) which was passed by Congress last year. Going forward, public transportation projects serving national parks and other federal lands remain eligible for funding under the Federal Lands Transportation Program administered by the Federal Highway Administration.

A map and a complete list of projects can be found here.


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Hiking in Glacier National Park