Curtis, Kelly Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Improve Transit Funding for Fast-Growing Communities

WASHINGTON —U.S. Senators John Curtis (R-UT) and Mark Kelly (D-AZ) introduced the Promoting Access to Transit in High-Growth Communities (PATH) Act , bipartisan legislation to modernize how the federal government evaluates transit projects seeking funding through the Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA) Capital Investment Grants (CIG) program. Companion legislation was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Representatives Burgess Owens (R-UT), Mike Kennedy (R-UT), Dina Titus (D-NV), and Greg Stanton (D-AZ).
“Communities across Utah are growing faster than ever, and our transportation planning needs to reflect where people are headed—not just where they live today,” said Senator Curtis . “The PATH Act gives fast-growing regions a fairer opportunity to compete for federal transit investments by recognizing future demand alongside current conditions. Better forecasting means better infrastructure decisions, less congestion, and stronger communities.”
“Arizona is one of the fastest‑growing states, but federal transit funding ignores that reality. This bill changes that by making population growth a factor when federal dollars are awarded,” said Senator Kelly .
“The PATH Act is a commonsense, bipartisan fix to a broken formula. For too long, federal transit dollars have gone to big cities that grew a century ago, funding the upkeep of infrastructure they already have, while fast-growing states like Utah were left fighting for scraps,” said Representative Owens. “This bill fixes that formula and levels the playing field. It ensures that states like ours, which have seen record growth and had the foresight to plan for it, can compete for limited federal dollars and put them to work on projects that will have long-lasting and meaningful impacts.”
“I have the privilege of representing one of the fastest-growing districts in America, and our infrastructure needs are growing just as quickly,” said Representative Kennedy. “The PATH Act modernizes how we evaluate transit projects by recognizing population growth and future development rather than relying solely on existing density. That’s a common-sense fix, and for Utah and other fast-growing states, it means a fair shot at the resources we need to build for the future.”
“Southern Nevada is one of the fastest growing regions in the country,” said Representative Titus . “By ensuring that population forecasts are taken into account in infrastructure investments such as commuter rail, streetcars, and rapid bus transit, the PATH Act will help transit agencies make vital investments to accommodate this growth.”
“Phoenix is one of the fastest-growing regions in the country, and Arizonans feel the strain on our roads and transit every day,” said Representative Stanton. “Too often, federal funding formulas reward where growth happened decades ago instead of where it is happening right now. The PATH Act fixes that. It gives communities like ours a fair shot to compete for the investments we need to build transit that keeps pace with our growth. I am proud to join this bipartisan effort to make sure Arizona families are not left behind.”
“Fast-growing communities should be rewarded for planning ahead. Under the current evaluation framework for the Federal Transit Administration’s Capital Investment Grant Program, many communities must wait until population growth, traffic congestion, and transit demand have already materialized before they can effectively compete for major transit capital investments,” said Jay Fox, Executive Director, Utah Transit Authority (UTA) . “The PATH Act modernizes that approach by allowing projected population growth and local transit-oriented development planning to be considered when determining project eligibility. UTA is grateful to Congressman Burgess Owens, Senator John Curtis, and the bipartisan cosponsors for their leadership in advancing this common-sense legislation, which will help rapidly growing regions like Utah’s Wasatch Front build the transit infrastructure needed to support future generations.”
“For decades, Utah has pursued a deliberate strategy of coordinating transportation investments, land-use planning, and transit-oriented development to create thriving population centers connected by high-quality transit,” said Andrew Gruber, Executive Director, Wasatch Front Regional Council (WFRC) . “That approach has helped our region prepare for continued growth while addressing challenges such as traffic congestion, air quality, and housing affordability. The PATH Act recognizes the value of that planning by allowing communities that have done the hard work of preparing for future growth to compete more effectively for federal transit funding through the Federal Transit Administration’s Capital Investment Grant Program. We appreciate Congressman Burgess Owens, Senator John Curtis, and their bipartisan colleagues for championing legislation that will empower fast-growing communities across the country to build transit systems before growth outpaces infrastructure.”
Background
Current federal transit funding evaluations rely heavily on existing population density and ridership, which can disadvantage rapidly growing communities where infrastructure has not yet caught up with population growth. The PATH Act allows the FTA to incorporate additional forecasting methods when evaluating a project’s future ridership and overall justification.
The legislation updates the evaluation criteria for projects applying for funding under the CIG program by allowing ridership forecasts to consider:
By modernizing these forecasting methods, the PATH Act aims to ensure federal transit investments better reflect the needs of communities experiencing rapid growth and significant new development.
The full text of the bill is available here .