Feds award $167M for Hurricane Sandy relief
The funds reimburse the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey and New Jersey Transit for capital projects that are already under way under FTA pre-award authority, while also funding other projects that have not yet moved forward.

Photo courtesy Jorge Lascar

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) awarded approximately $167 million to the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey and $67 million to New Jersey Transit (NJT) from the FTA’s Emergency Relief Program to help both agencies continue rebuilding and replacing transportation equipment and facilities damaged or destroyed by Hurricane Sandy.
The funds reimburse the Port Authority and NJT for capital projects that are already under way under FTA pre-award authority, while also funding other projects that have not yet moved forward.
Altogether, the Port Authority and NJT were allocated $1.36 billion and $448.2 million respectively, for relief and recovery projects through FTA’s Emergency Relief Program.
The Port Authority funding supports 15 capital projects, such as replacing power, signal and communications equipment destroyed by the storm; purchasing new locomotives; and acquiring equipment to mitigate damage from future storms, including temporary power substations and water removal systems and barriers.
NJT funding supports seven projects, including standing up a new interoperable communications center in Maplewood, N.J., which will serve as a consolidated command and control center for coordinating all NJT functions and improving agency-wide response during a major weather event; repairing and restoring the Newark and Hudson-Bergen light rail lines; dredging storm-deposited silt from the Weehawken Port Imperial Ferry Terminal; and purchasing new fueling trucks that can readily bring fuel to diesel locomotives and other equipment that may be stranded during an emergency.
In December 2013, FTA announced the availability of $3 billion in competitive funding for regional resiliency projects that will better protect existing transit infrastructure damaged by Hurricane Sandy. FTA is currently reviewing 64 proposals totaling more than $6 billion in requests; project selections will be announced later this year.
For all transit agencies eligible to receive Hurricane Sandy aid, FTA has allocated approximately 55% of the $10.35 billion available through the Disaster Relief Appropriations Act of 2013.
More Management

VIA Metropolitan Transit Reports 2 Million More Passenger Trips as Better Bus Plan Gains Momentum
San Antonio's transit agency said accelerated service improvements are driving ridership growth, offering another example of how increased frequency and workforce investments can translate into stronger transit performance.
Read More →
ABAF Study Reveals Growing Insurance Crisis for Motorcoach Operators
Preliminary findings show 98% of operators faced premium increases over the past five years, while shrinking insurer participation is putting added pressure on businesses and customers.
Read More →
PSTA Modernizes Workforce Management with Digital Bidding System
The award-winning Workforce Transit Modernization project replaced paper bidding with a transparent digital platform, cutting administrative effort while improving access for operators.
Read More →
Chicago to Host Public Transportation's Biggest Gathering at APTA TRANSform & EXPO 2026
North America’s largest public transportation gathering returns to Chicago, connecting transit decision-makers with the technologies, ideas, and partnerships driving the industry forward.
Read More →
New Tricks for Old Bureaucracies: Joshua Schank on Making Transit Innovation Stick
Former LA Metro Chief Innovation Officer Joshua Schank discusses why good ideas aren't enough, how transit agencies can overcome resistance to change, and why today's challenges demand more innovation.
Read More →
Washington's Community Transit Sets Six-Year Roadmap for Growth, Expansion
Approved TDP targets more bus service, new mobility options, Swift BRT expansion, and a potential Everett Transit annexation.
Read More →
OKC Streetcar Makes Zero-Fare Service Permanent
Ridership increased an average of 71% compared with the same period a year earlier during the fare-free pilot.
Read More →
DART Customer Satisfaction Reaches Six-Year High
Overall satisfaction rose to 74.9%, while the agency’s Net Promoter Score reached a record 33.7.
Read More →
House Surface Transportation Bill Advances as Transit Funding Debate Intensifies
A bipartisan transportation package moving through Congress could redefine how the U.S. funds highways, transit, and motorcoach travel, while igniting new fights over electrification, regulation, and federal priorities.
Read More →
How Data, Strategy, and Community Engagement Are Reshaping Transit
In this edition of METROspectives, strada360 CEO Steve Lassey discusses how transit agencies can better align planning with operations, leverage data to improve decision-making, and build public trust as they prepare for the future of mobility.
Read More →