SPOKANE, WA (April 5, 2018) – Today, Eastern Washington Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA-05) announced the approval of a $1.37 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation to the Spokane Transit Authority for the implementation of the Spokane Central City Line, further connecting the city of Spokane and providing reliable public transportation routes for residents.

“This is great news for everyone in Spokane. Not only will this grant help provide quality public transportation services to people in our community, but this project is expected to generate more than $175 million in economic impact here in Spokane,” said McMorris Rodgers. “I was proud to work with Senators Murray and Cantwell to advocate for the approval of this grant and am so pleased to see our work paying off.”

In October, Rep. McMorris Rodgers joined Washington Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell in writing a letter to the Federal Transit Administration urging the approval of the grant. In the letter they said, “The Spokane Central Line would link important employment and education centers with surrounding neighborhoods. The corridor encompasses 17 percent of the regional employment, six institutions of higher education with 27,000 students, thousands of residents, and major recreational and cultural attractions. Spokane is expected to grow by nearly 165,000 residents and 68,000 new jobs by 2040. The Spokane Central City Line would enhance Spokane Transit Authority’s ability to support this significant growth and provide efficient public transportation for residents and businesses.”

NOTE: Read their full letter here, and find more information about the grant here. 

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