$1.4B in Sandy Transit Aid Goes to NY, NJ

The federal government is announcing $1.4 billion in aid to transit agencies affected by Superstorm Sandy.

Hoboken PATH station during Superstorm Sandy (Image courtesy of Port Authority of NY and NJ)

Most of the aid announced Friday by U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood is going to four agencies in New York and New Jersey. They are the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, PATH, New Jersey Transit and the New York City Department of Transportation.

Federal Transit Administration head Peter Rogoff says that more than one-third of America's transit riders use the systems most heavily damaged by Sandy. He says restoring those systems in the region is imperative.

A total of $10.9 billion was appropriated to transit agencies for disaster relief after Sandy hit in October.

The amount was reduced by $545 million because of the mandatory federal budget cut that took effect on March 1.