The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) awarded a $92,579 Formula Grant under the FTA 5307 Urbanized Area Formula Funding Program (CFDA 20.507) to the Northwest Arkansas Regional Planning Commission (NWARPC), a non-profit regional planning organization. The grant, awarded on May 22, 2024, will fund Phase 1 of an update to the Northwest Arkansas Travel Demand Model and a Transit Alternatives Study. The travel demand model update will forecast the region's future transportation system and evaluate alternative transportation solutions for the 2050 Metropolitan Transportation Plan. The Transit Alternatives Study will investigate high-capacity transit options, including commuter rail, light rail, and bus rapid transit, to regionally connect Northwest Arkansas. The grant's expected outcomes include improved transit ridership forecasting, an evaluation of the region's existing land use patterns for effective transit, and the identification of a locally preferred alternative transit mode. The project will serve residents, commuters, and students in Washington and Benton Counties, as well as the local transit agencies Razorback Transit and Ozark Regional Transit Authority.
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