Skip to Content
Streetsblog New York City home
Streetsblog New York City home
Log In
Federal Stimulus

Top 20 Metro Areas Get 28% of Road Stimulus, 61% of Transit Stimulus

chartgrab.jpgClick here to see how stim funds break down by state and metro region.

Cities are getting a disproportionately small share of the road money given out by the White House's stimulus plan, but the nation's top 20 metro areas are doing better when it comes to transit -- taking in 61 percent of the transit stimulus cash allocated so far, according to an analysis by Streetsblog Capitol Hill.

That share for the top 20 cities (viewable in graphic form here) can be compared to the 28 percent of road money received by the same metro areas, according to a New York Times analysis published today.

But it's important to note that the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) got $8.4 billion in the
stimulus law, a much smaller share than the $26.6 billion that went to
roads. Does 61 percent of a much smaller pie balance out 28 percent of a larger pie?

The same 20 metro areas generate 46 percent of the nation's GDP, the Times found.

Asked to respond to the Times' piece, which echoes a report issued last month by the U.S. Conference of Mayors, a spokeswoman for the U.S. DOT pointed to its focus on road projects to the exclusion of transit:

A tunnel vision focus on wherehighway dollars are going does not give a complete picture of the impact theRecovery Act is having on cities around the country.

Billions of dollars intransit money are already out the door and more is on the way to help our urbancenters with their vital transportation systems that carry millions of peopleeveryday.

The U.S. DOT's contention is correct, in a sense; large cities did receive the lion's share of the stimulus' transit cash. Still, only 10 percent of cities' transit stimulus money could be used to close deficits in their operating budgets, which amounted to small potatoes for many large urban systems. 

And what's most stunning about the transit data may well be the metro areas that have gotten no targeted money yet from the FTA: Baltimore, St. Louis, Phoenix, Miami, and New York City.

The Times road-money data remains dismaying news for advocates who had pushed for cities to get a
direct share of the transportation stimulus, only to see states and local metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) -- which tend to have a weakness for sprawl-inducing highway capacity projects -- control the process.

What's more, as my colleague Ryan noted,
the shortchanging of cities is a powerful argument for focusing more federal attention on cities'
transportation needs. The recently unveiled $450 billion bill from the
House transport committee does its part for urban planning, but its lack of performance targets to guide cities' choice of projects remains a major question mark in that legislation.

(A couple of notes about Streetsblog Capitol Hill's analysis: The source material was the FTA's publicly available tally of stimulus grants. Also, a liberal interpretation of city boundaries was used, with suburban areas in a 50-mile radius counted as part of metro areas.)

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

Money for Something: Funding OK’d, But Details Missing For ‘Dept. Of Sustainable Delivery’

The mayor got the Council to sign off on $6.1 million for the long-awaited “Department of Sustainable Delivery." But what's it mean? No one is talking.

July 1, 2025

Incoming Albany Mayor Could Help Safe Streets Movement Statewide

The state capital is built for the car and that is how it is experienced by our lawmakers. But could that change under a new mayor? Here's hoping.

July 1, 2025

Tuesday’s Headlines: Another Child Sacrificed to the SUV Edition

Stop de kindermoord! An 8-year-old boy killed by an SUV driver is the latest victim of America's obsession with big cars. Plus other news.

July 1, 2025

DOT Testimony: Removing Bedford Ave. Bike Lane Will ‘Reduce Safety’

"Removing the protected bike lane won’t remove cyclists — it will only make the street less safe," the DOT said. "The city risks legal liability for knowingly reducing safety on a Vision Zero priority corridor."

June 30, 2025

Hochul Signs Speed Camera Reauthorization, Enforcement Continues Through 2030

Stating a clear fact that scores of state legislators reject, Hochul said, "Speed cameras save lives and keep New Yorkers safe."

June 30, 2025

Cyclists Tell Judge Carolyn Walker-Diallo: The Bedford Ave. Bike Lane is a Lifesaver

A judge will decide the fate of the Bedford Avenue bike lane on Tuesday. Streetsblog offers some user affidavits.

June 30, 2025
See all posts