Commissioners approve letter supporting USDOT PROTECT grant for regional transportation facility

Cumberland County commissioners voted to approve a letter of support for a U.S. Department of Transportation PROTECT grant application for a regional transportation facility.

Rich Barr, the project presenter, told the board the broader project has a $150,000,000 budget and that the team previously received a RAISE grant of $25,000,000. “We are seeking an additional 35,000,000 from the Protect grant,” Barr said, adding the application argues the facility is eligible because the current site sits in a flood plain. He asked the county for a local support letter to strengthen the application, which is due toward the end of February.

The commissioners moved and seconded approval of the letter and voted in favor. After the vote Barr offered an update on the Carlisle facility redesign, saying engineers expect the facility to be back online and “out to bid at the end of this year,” and that the project team will provide renderings for the board’s approval because the county has an agreement to approve visual aspects.

The vote was procedural and limited to authorizing a support letter; no county funding for the PROTECT application was announced at the meeting.

The board’s approval allows the applicant to include Cumberland County’s support in the federal grant packet ahead of the application deadline.