The Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA) Paul S. Sarbanes Transit in Parks program provided $40.8 million for 58 projects that will provide safe, convenient access for visitors to America’s national parks, forests and wildlife refuges, and modernize aging transportation infrastructure.

The U.S. National Park Service, the U.S. Forest Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Bureau of Land Management and local partner communities will receive FTA funds for the projects, which range from redesigning and widening the Nauset Bicycle Trail at Cape Cod National Seashore in Massachusetts to purchasing new buses to transport visitors between Sausalito and the Muir Woods National Monument in California.

Administrator Rogoff visited Cuyahoga Valley National Park to announce five grants totaling $3.2 million for the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad, which has been a very successful and popular attraction at the national park outside Cleveland.

FTA’s Paul S. Sarbanes Transit in Parks program was established by Congress to enhance the protection of national parks and federal lands and increase the enjoyment of those visiting them. The grants will come primarily from Fiscal Year 2011 funds, with additional funding being provided from Fiscal Year 2012 funds.

Administered by the FTA in partnership with the Department of the Interior and the U.S. Forest Service, the program funds capital and planning expenses for alternative transportation systems, such as shuttle buses and bicycle trails, in national parks and public lands. The goals of the program are to conserve natural, historical and cultural resources, and reduce congestion and pollution.

A complete list of projects can be found here.