A recent study by the Federal Transit Administration concludes that the nation’s largest transit agencies need at least $50 billion to bring their assets into a state of good repair and another $6 billion would be needed annually for normal maintenance. The Rail Modernization Study, completed in April at the request of Sen. Richard Durbin (D-Ill.) and 11 other senators, examined capital needs of the seven biggest U.S. rail transit agencies. It looked at older systems in New York, Boston, Chicago and Philadelphia, as well as newer systems in San Francisco, New Jersey and Washington, D.C. Combined, the agencies serve more than 3 billion passengers, more than 80% of all national transit riders. They also maintain 6,049 track miles, 1,701 stations and 14,629 fleet vehicles.
FTA found 35% of those agencies’ assets are in marginal or poor condition, 35% adequate, 22% good and only 8% excellent. Durbin requested the study to determine if transit systems, faced with increasing ridership, are being adequately funded and what is needed to modernize them. He says the study “estimates that we are underfunding our nation’s oldest rail systems by $5.9 billion per year.”