The legislation largely maintains funding for public transportation and passenger rail but slashes a program to add intercity passenger trains. U.S. House and Senate appropriators agreed Tuesday on bipartisan legislation to fund transportation through the remainder of fiscal year 2026, which ends Sept. 30. The bill “provides the overwhelming majority of public transit and passenger rail investments” funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, according to the American Public Transportation Association. The House passed the bill Thursday and the Senate is expected to vote on the measure this week to prevent a partial federal government shutdown on Jan. 30. The bill is “a really good-news story for our industry,” APTA President and CEO Paul Skoutelas said in a hastily arranged webinar for its members Wednesday. When combined with advance appropriations from the IIJA, the bill provides $21.1 billion to public transportation, a $168 million increase over the Fiscal Year 2025 level, according to APTA. However, more than $500 million was cut from a capital investment grant program for fixed-guideway transit, including light rail, subways, commuter rail and bus rapid transit.

https://www.constructiondive.com/news/congress-thud-transportation-appropriations-fy2026/810465/