OP-ED: President Lyndon Johnson – founding father of federal transportation assistance

The late President Lyndon Johnson was born on Aug. 27, 1908. Many remember him for succeeding President John F. Kennedy after his assassination in Dallas, Texas, on Nov. 22, 1963. Others remember him for his domestic Great Society Program, which included Civil Rights, Medicare, Medicaid, War on Poverty and Public Broadcasting. There was also foreign policy, most notably the Vietnam War.

Few remember that the success of public transportation can be traced back to one of President Johnson's greatest accomplishments that continues to benefit many Americans. On July 9, 1964, he signed the "Urban Mass Transportation Act of 1964" into law. Subsequently, this resulted in the investment of several hundred billion dollars into public transportation under grants from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) (prior to 1991 known as the Urban Mass Transit Administration).

In the current federal fiscal year 2022, the FTA has made available a record $20 billion in funding under various formula and competitive discretionary programs to more than 900 transit agencies around the nation. Four of these formula programs include $6,408,288,249 Section 5307 Urban Formula (plus $348,290,112 Section 5340 High Density States & $280,465,968 Section 5340 Growing States); $4,111,504,865 Section 5337 State of Good Repair ($3,994,326,976 High Intensity Fixed Guideway and $117,117,889 High Intensity Motorbus); $601,222,535 Section 5339 Bus and Bus Facilities; and $36,500,000 Section 5307 Passenger Ferry.

There are also a number of national competitive discretionary programs to supplement transit agencies formula programs. Some examples are $3,848,000,000 Section 5309 Capital Investment (New Starts & Core Capacity); $1,174,998,689 Section 5339(c) Low or No Emission; $546,029,313 Section 5339 Buses and Bus Facilities; $300,000,000 Section 5337 State of Good Repair Rail Replacement; and $49,000,000 Section 71102 Electric or Low Emitting Ferry.

Even with COVID-19, millions of Americans continue utilizing various public transportation alternatives. They include local and express bus, paratransit and commuter vans, ferry, jitney, light rail, subway and commuter rail services.

Investment in public transportation today contributes to economic growth, employment and a stronger economy. Dollar for dollar, it is one of the best investments we can make.

What better way to honor the late President Johnson and all that has been achieved these past 58 years in public transportation by continuing funding the federal Highway Trust Fund and Mass Transit Account.

Happy birthday!

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Larry Penner is a transportation advocate, historian and writer who previously worked for the Federal Transit Administration Region 2 New York Office. This included the development, review, approval and oversight for billions in capital projects and programs for the MTA, NYC Transit, Long Island Rail Road, Metro North Rail Road MTA Bus, New Jersey Transit along with 30 other transit agencies in NY & NJ.