Congressman Panetta Announces Federal Funding to Finance New Monterey-Salinas Transit District Facilities in South County

SALINAS, CA – On Friday, October 30 Congressman Jimmy Panetta (D-Carmel Valley) announced the distribution of a Department of Transportation (DOT) loan of up to $8.45 million to the Monterey-Salinas Transit District (MST). The loan will help finance the construction of a new South County Operations and Maintenance Facility in King City, California. The facility will provide MST with a base from which it will operate its South County services. “Accessible and affordable public transportation is vital for our way of life on the Central Coast. That’s why it’s important that our transportation agencies have access to capital for the resources necessary to adequately and safely operate in our many cities,” said Congressman Panetta. “This TIFIA loan will help MST with its operations throughout the Salinas Valley and further allow it to fulfill its goal of providing quality transportation services to everybody in every one of our communities. “MST’s success at being among the first in the country to secure this source of funding to construct the MST South County Operations and Maintenance Facility demonstrates how local, state, and federal funding resources can be merged to build infrastructure and support job creation in rural areas,” said Carl Sedoryk, General Manager/CEO of the Monterey-Salinas Transit District. “We want to acknowledge our partners at the US Department of Transportation, Federal Transit Administration, Caltrans and particularly the board and staff of the Transportation Agency of Monterey County whose help and support were crucial to the accomplishment of this funding agreement.” The Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act is a Department of Transportation program that provides credit assistance and funding to transportation projects across the United States. Currently, no MST storage, parking or operational and maintenance facilities exist in South County. MST will use its TIFIA loan to construct new facilities, improving service for those who rely on public transportation in the area.