In advance of a more detailed financial analysis as part of the Master Transit Plan, InfraStrategies supported CAT with the development of near-term financial strategies to support and inform the development of CAT’s fiscal year (FY) 2023 budget. This assessment focused on achieving two primary near-term objectives: (1) continue CAT’s existing service and address CAT’s pending fiscal cliff, and (2) fund CAT’s priority capital projects and initiatives. InfraStrategies considered a comprehensive list of 114 near-term funding and financing opportunities and collaborated with CAT leadership to develop and refine a short-list of 37 federal, state, and local opportunities that could be used to fund CAT’s near-term priorities. This funding “tool box” and the team’s recommended near-term financial strategies served as an important foundation to the more detailed financial analysis in the Master Transit Plan. As a result of this work, CAT pursued and secured new funding, including annual state funding though the newly created Georgia Transit Trust Fund and federal discretionary grants. InfraStrategies supported CAT with the development of a successful application to the FY 2022 Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation (SMART) Grants Program, which will provide $1.2 million (100% federal share) for an innovative partnership to introduce first mile-last mile microtransit service in the Savannah area. 

 

InfraStrategies recently supported CAT with the completion of its Master Transit Plan, a partnership with Chatham Connects. The Master Transit Plan developed mobility strategies and funding strategies to help shape a bolder, newer vision of public transit. The final report was approved by the CAT Board in July 2023 and can be found here.