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Federal window opens unexpectedly for KRM
SERTA will submit KRM federal application to enter preliminary engineering

May 18, 2010

Journal Sentinel: Transit authority will seek federal approval for KRM commuter rail line
Journal Times: Transit board to seek approval for KRM

The SERTA board voted to advance the KRM Commuter Rail federal New Starts application for preliminary engineering, a surprising and positive shift in plans that was based on a meeting with the FTA last Friday. In that meeting, the FTA revised their position on accepting and reviewing the KRM New Starts application, saying that because of the new administration’s shifts in policy toward transit projects and the additional funding that is now available in the New Starts program, they are more flexible and would accept the KRM application.

The FTA staff also stated that they will not approve KRM advancing into final engineering and design phase until the bus funding dilemma is resolved.

The new time frame will provide several critical functions:

• Meet the deadline of June 30, 2010 that was included in SERTA's enabling legislation.
• Avoid significant additional future costs of revising data in the application and increased costs due to inflation if the submittal were delayed until next year.