Sound Transit has been awarded $2m from the Federal Transit Administration to analyze a northern corridor service.  Portland Metro also was awarded $ million.  See bottom for more details.

There was much competition for the funding: 23 agencies won $25.7 million, but the agency reviewed 67 applications from 30 states seeking a total of $73 million in funds.

From the FTA news release: 
The Alternatives Analysis grant program is the first key milestone in the FTA New Starts process – the primary source for federally funded transit projects. Conducting an “alternatives analysis” ensures that various costs and benefits, route options, and other important considerations are taken into account as part of FTA’s capital planning process, known as New Starts. The analysis is complete once a locally preferred alternative is selected and adopted as part of the affected region's long-range transportation plan.

“Careful planning is an essential first step toward making wise investments in local transportation solutions that will spur economic opportunities and jobs today while improving the quality of life for generations to come,” said FTA Administrator Peter Rogoff. “We depend on our regional and local partners to determine how transportation fits best within their communities. These funds will move these communities forward.”

New Starts has provided between $1.5 billion and $1.8 billion annually for major transit construction projects in recent years; an additional $750 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds were advanced to New Starts projects in 2009.

The 23 winning proposals were submitted by transit and other public agencies from across the country as part of a nationwide competition. Winning proposals demonstrated need by identifying a substantial transportation challenge in a particular corridor and proposing technical work that would provide cost and benefit information on the alternatives studied to address the problem. Priority was given to project sponsors coordinating transit project development with relevant public housing agencies, or with relevant energy or environmental public agencies.

Sound Transit
Project: Sound Transit North Corridor
Grant Amount: $2,000,000
Light rail transit (LRT) deployment in this corridor was included in the successful 2008 Sound Transit 2 ballot measure. This corridor is currently served by express buses. It is located between Northgate Transit Center and Lynnwood along I-5 (approximately 8.2 miles). The goals of the project include environmental protection and consistency with regional land use and transportation plans. The need for this project centers on congestion relief.

Portland Area Metropolitan Service District (Metro)
Project: Southwest Corridor
Grant Amount: $2,000,000
This corridor runs along I-5 and SR 99W between downtown Portland and Sherwood (17 miles). This corridor is a high-priority for transit investment in light of livability needs, support of the regional economy, and potential environmental benefits and other factors. There is affordable housing availability and transit connectivity. Also, there is congestion. The current bus service is well-patronized.