FTA Directs $233 Million to Eight Legacy Transit Station Projects
FTA selected eight projects in five states for $233 million in accessibility and station modernization work, including major awards for SEPTA, Maryland MTA and Cleveland RTA.
The Federal Transit Administration has selected eight projects in five states for a combined $233 million investment in older rail-transit stations. The agency announced the awards on September 10, 2026, framing the program around easier station use for riders with wheelchairs, strollers and other mobility needs.
Three of the disclosed awards account for $148 million. SEPTA is slated to receive $80 million for new elevators, raised platforms and wayfinding improvements at trolley stations in Philadelphia. The Maryland Transit Administration is slated to receive $48 million for platform and passenger-crossing upgrades at Martin State Airport and Metropolitan Grove stations. Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority is slated to receive $20 million to improve seven Green Line light-rail stations.
A capital program focused on access
The awards address a long-standing constraint in U.S. transit systems: many stations built before 1990 were not designed for contemporary accessibility standards or for the passenger volumes and circulation patterns they now handle. Elevator installations, platform changes and clearer wayfinding can require difficult construction staging in operating stations, particularly where agencies must keep rail service running during the work.
The federal announcement identifies selections and award amounts, not final construction schedules for every station. Local agencies will still have to complete design, environmental and procurement steps where applicable. That distinction matters because a funding selection is not the same as a notice to proceed, and the pace of delivery will differ by recipient.
What it means
Analysis: The program concentrates federal capital on relatively contained station packages rather than on new rail corridors. That can produce visible improvements faster, but execution risk remains in utilities, right-of-way, outage planning and the availability of elevator and signaling contractors. The strongest near-term signal will be how quickly recipients convert the federal awards into bid-ready packages with clear phasing.
The portfolio also shows that accessibility work is being treated as core transit infrastructure, not as a secondary amenity. For agencies managing legacy networks, station modernization can extend asset life while reducing barriers for riders who cannot use stairs or navigate uneven platforms.
Sources
- Federal Transit Administration award announcement, September 10, 2026
Representative transit photograph; the awarded stations are not pictured. Photo: 4300streetcar, CC BY 4.0. No editorial alterations; WordPress may resize or crop for display.
