State grants aid transport programs for people with disabilities
Gov. Jim Doyle has approved grants totaling $1,415,922 for projects that will enhance local transportation options for citizens with disabilities, the state Department of Transportation announced.
The Dane County Department of Human Services received $97,986 for a $141,263 mobility management and travel training project.
A DOT news release said the grants will support new public transportation services and alternatives for individuals with disabilities and will promote coordination between specialized and public transportation statewide.
Several of the new projects will support the hiring of a mobility manager to coordinate rides and vehicles so that existing vehicles and services can be utilized as fully as possible. Other projects will provide transportation alternatives such as volunteer driver and voucher programs, and travel training for individuals with disabilities to help them learn how to use a public transit system in order to provide them with greater freedom and flexibility in using transportation services.
The matching grant program provides 50 percent to 80 percent of project costs, depending on whether the request is for capital or operating expenses.
Eligible applicants include nonprofit organizations, local governments and operators of public transportation services. The next grant cycle will be announced sometime in the summer.
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