As reported by “Better Roads,” the U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations approved legislation providing $54 billion for transportation, housing, and urban development.

The bill calls for funding for transportation agencies and programs, including $550 million for grants for major transportation projects, $110 million for projects in rural communities, $40.3 billion for the Federal-aid Highway Program, $500 million for bridge projects, $1.75 billion for rail infrastructure ($1.45 would be allocated to Amtrak), $1.943 billion for the transit “New Starts” program, $3.35 billion for capital investments at airports, $962 million for the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) NextGen program, $848 million for vehicle and driver safety programs, $225 million for pipeline and hazardous safety programs, $1.2 billion for FAA’s aviation safety activities and at least $5 million for the Federal Transit Administration’s transit safety office.

The Senate Appropriations Committee has approved $9.9 billion more in funding than the proposed House Appropriations Committee bill.