Calif.'s SMART rail extension gains FTA approval

SAN RAFAEL, Calif. — The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) determined Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit (SMART) is eligible to enter the project development stage for its "Small Starts" program and could one day get a government grant for the extension of its commuter train service from San Rafael to Larkspur, according to the Marin Independent Journal.

SMART will be able to use a $2.5 million federal grant to begin technical, environmental and an engineering design on the San Rafael-to-Larkspur segment. Once those documents are submitted, the SMART proposal will have to be analyzed by the FTA to determine if it will be eligible for funding. For the full story, click here.