Mass Transit:
Actions Needed for the BART Airport Extension
RCED-96-176: Published: May 31, 1996. Publicly Released: Jun 19, 1996.
Additional Materials:
- Full Report:
Contact:
Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the Bay Area Rapid Transit District's (BART) plans to extend its transit system to the San Francisco International Airport, focusing on the: (1) actions the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) must take before agreeing to fund the project; (2) factors that could affect the project's current schedule and estimated cost; and (3) project's finance plan, particularly assumptions that could affect its viability.
GAO found that: (1) before signing the BART funding grant agreement, FTA must ensure that BART has met all environmental requirements and secured necessary project financing; (2) FTA must also certify that BART environmental and financing plans, and cost estimates are reasonable and determine whether other transportation alternatives have been considered; (3) FTA and BART may not be able to resolve congressional concerns 60 days prior to the signing of the funding agreement, which BART expects to occur in October 1996; (4) BART estimates that its airport extension project will cost $1.167 billion, with construction beginning by October 1996 and line opening in October 2000; (5) the BART construction schedule is ambitious, since environmental reviews may not be completed by October 1996, and expected savings from innovative technology and cost escalations are uncertain; (6) BART expects to obtain $750 million in federal funding, with the remaining $471 million coming from the San Francisco airport, the state, and local sources; (7) BART must develop a borrowing program, since its accelerated construction schedule will outpace its funding; and (8) factors that could affect the finance plan's viability include BART receiving sufficient federal funds each of the next 7 fiscal years, the state allowing BART to use its own revenues as secondary collateral for loans, the airport providing its $200 million contribution, and other state and local contributors capping their BART pledges due to budget constraints.
Jan 7, 2021
Aircraft Noise:
Better Information Sharing Could Improve Responses to Washington, D.C. Area Helicopter Noise ConcernsGAO-21-200: Published: Jan 7, 2021. Publicly Released: Jan 7, 2021.
Dec 18, 2020
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Automated Technologies:
DOT Should Take Steps to Ensure Its Workforce Has Skills Needed to Oversee SafetyGAO-21-197: Published: Dec 18, 2020. Publicly Released: Dec 18, 2020.
Dec 17, 2020
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Emergency Responder Safety:
States and DOT Are Implementing Actions to Reduce Roadside CrashesGAO-21-166: Published: Dec 17, 2020. Publicly Released: Dec 17, 2020.
Nov 24, 2020
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Reagan National Airport:
Information on Effects of Federal Statute Limiting Long-Distance FlightsGAO-21-176: Published: Nov 24, 2020. Publicly Released: Nov 24, 2020.
Nov 19, 2020
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Federal-Aid Highways:
States and Local Governments Reported Benefits to Federal Highway Fund Swapping, but Impacts Cannot be Definitively DeterminedGAO-21-88: Published: Oct 20, 2020. Publicly Released: Nov 19, 2020.
Nov 16, 2020
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Aviation Certification:
FAA Needs to Strengthen Its Design Review Process for Small AirplanesGAO-21-85: Published: Nov 16, 2020. Publicly Released: Nov 16, 2020.
Nov 9, 2020
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Aviation Safety:
FAA's Office of Aviation Safety Should Take Additional Actions to Ensure Its Workforce Has Needed SkillsGAO-21-94: Published: Nov 9, 2020. Publicly Released: Nov 9, 2020.
Oct 29, 2020
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Puerto Rico:
Perspectives on the Potential to Expand Air Cargo OperationsGAO-21-21: Published: Oct 29, 2020. Publicly Released: Oct 29, 2020.
Sep 30, 2020
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Supplemental Material For GAO-20-686:
Transit Asset Management: Survey of TAM Program ParticipantsGAO-20-687SP: Published: Sep 30, 2020. Publicly Released: Sep 30, 2020. -
Transit Asset Management:
FTA Should Clarify Performance Data and Develop a Plan to Guide Future Program ImprovementsGAO-20-686: Published: Sep 30, 2020. Publicly Released: Sep 30, 2020.
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