FTA awards $686M ASAP
The Federal Transit Administration awarded $686 million for 2026 All Stations Accessibility Program (ASAP) upgrades to modernize legacy rail stations — a major funding pool for accessibility and station reconfiguration projects. This round ties grant eligibility more tightly to demonstrable PTASP/SMS readiness, creating consulting opportunities in grant management and compliance reporting. (railwaynews.net)
Complete proposals must be submitted electronically via Grants.gov “APPLY” by 11:59 p.m. Eastern on May 1, 2026; the funding opportunity ID is FTA‑2026‑001‑TPM‑ASAP and mail or fax submissions will not be accepted. (transit.dot.gov) Eligible applicants are designated recipients that operate or allocate funds to legacy rail fixed‑guideway public transportation systems, plus states (including territories and D.C.) and local governmental entities that operate or financially support those legacy stations. (transit.dot.gov) The NOFO defines “legacy” rail stations as those constructed (or where construction began) prior to January 25, 1992 for transit rail and prior to October 7, 1991 for commuter rail, and excludes stations already identified as key stations under 49 CFR § 37.47. (transit.dot.gov) FTA describes this announcement as an initial NOFO covering both the FY2025 and FY2026 rounds and directs that awards will be made competitively under Division J of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). (transit.dot.gov) Eligible ASAP activities include planning and capital projects that upgrade station accessibility and must meet or exceed ADA new‑construction standards in Title II/Appendix A of 49 CFR part 37; the program requires a cost share (match) and indicates no match waiver. (transportation.gov) Prior ASAP awards have ranged from about $1.395 million to $156.5 million, providing a recent precedent for project‑level funding scales agencies should consider when assembling packages. (transit.dot.gov) FTA’s published materials and industry reporting note priority for projects that deliver full‑station ADA compliance or comprehensive station reconfigurations, and applicants must follow Grants.gov submission instructions and the NOFO application contents. (govmarketnews.com) For technical questions FTA lists Tom Wilson in the Office of Program Management as the contact (Thomas.Wilson@dot.gov) and applicants are directed to the Grants.gov “FIND” module and FTA’s funding notices page for application documents. (transit.dot.gov)
