Today, the New Orleans Regional Transit Authority (RTA) announced the award of $5,224,965 from the Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA) Notice of Funding for the FY 2022 Competitive Funding Opportunity: Passenger Ferry Grant Program. The agency intends to utilize the funding to rehabilitate and modernize the Algiers Point Ferry Terminal and the Lower Algiers Maintenance Facility.
“Thank you to U.S. Rep. Troy Carter Sr. (D-La.) for helping us bring critical federal infrastructure funding home to New Orleans,” said Board Chair, Commissioner Mark Raymond, Jr. “We look forward to our continued work together to build a modern, reliable, and equitable transit system.”
The funding will help RTA increase the functional square footage of the terminal located at Algiers Point, which will allow the agency to better serve riders by providing ferry operations staff administrative space and rider convenience functions like restrooms and waiting areas. This will be accomplished by reducing the ceiling volume to add a second floor. The maintenance facility, located in Lower Algiers, supports both ferry routes. This building is over forty years old and has several major systems that are at the end of their useful life and need to be replaced.
“I am pleased to announce this funding, which will expand, improve, and modernize passenger ferry service to provide Louisianans access to jobs and opportunities,” said Carter. “These programs are vital to improve and expand ferry service in our communities right here at home. Better connecting the East and West Bank will help open up the region’s job possibilities and grow our local economy.”
“The 5.2M in funding awarded today will be used to make critical improvements to our aging ferry infrastructure like the Algiers Point Terminal,” said Lona E. Hankins, RTA Interim CEO. “A huge thank you to the FTA, as this funding enables us to build a comfortable, climate-controlled waiting area with improved restroom facilities, bringing the RTA one step closer to delivering the world-class rider experience that New Orleanians deserve.”
“Improving infrastructure in the Greater New Orleans region, specifically our ferry assets, facilities and terminals that house these special modes of transportation is critical,” said Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development Secretary Shawn D. Wilson, Ph.D. “As a way of diversifying mobility, we must leverage the state’s privatization of this service with that of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. I look forward to seeing the upgrades this funding will provide the citizens who utilize the ferry systems in the New Orleans region.”
The Passenger Ferry Grant Program makes funding available competitively to assist in the financing of capital projects to support passenger ferry systems in urbanized areas, such as ferry vessels, terminals, and related infrastructure. For FY 2022, $30 million for grants under the program was authorized under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) and an additional $6.5 million was appropriated under the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022, of which $3.25 million is for low or zero-emission ferries projects.