PORTLAND — U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree says more than $1.3 million in federal funding for Portland-area METRO buses would be in jeopardy unless Congress acts on a highway authorization bill.
Because the population of greater Portland exceeded 200,000 in the latest U.S. Census, the METRO bus system would no longer qualify under current regulations for federal funding for transit operating expenses.
But a provision in the bill would exempt from the rules transit systems like Portland’s that have fewer than 100 buses.
Pingree said in a statement this week that it makes no sense for the Portland bus system to be treated the same as a big city like New York or Chicago.
The highway bill could come up for a vote by Saturday. It also includes $6 million in funding for Amtrak’s Downeaster train between Portland and Boston.
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