VIA Secures $268 Million Grant for Region’s First BRT

VIA Metropolitan Transit, San Antonio, TX, has signed a $268 million Capital Investment Grants (CIG) full-funding agreement with FTA to support the VIA Rapid Green Line, the region’s first BRT corridor. The grant represents the largest federal investment in VIA’s history and marks the first time the agency sought this highly competitive federal funding opportunity.

“Today’s signing is momentous for VIA and our community. Together with the FTA, we’re now fully funded to construct the backbone of a system designed to meet the mobility needs of San Antonio, well into our evolving future,” said VIA President/CEO Jeffrey C. Arndt. “The VIA Rapid Green Line will help countless residents and visitors more easily navigate our city, removing obstacles and barriers to healthcare, workforce development, jobs, and opportunity that may have previously been out of reach. We see a future in which our customers spend less time traveling and more time doing the things that matter most in their lives.”

The VIA Rapid Green Line will connect passengers from the San Antonio International Airport, through Downtown, and south to the historic Missions area, improving transportation for the nearly 54,000 residents and 108,000 jobs located along its 10.35-mile corridor.

“The Green Line is more than just a transportation project, it’s a commitment to making travel throughout the San Antonio region more convenient and affordable and ensuring that more people have access to jobs and schools, grocery stores, and doctors’ offices.” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.”

In 2020, San Antonio voters approved a measure to redirect an existing 1/8-cent sales tax to VIA, starting in 2026. This initiative, approved by more than 68 percent of voters, will provide the necessary local match and operating funds for the Green Line.

“The Green Line will make life easier and better for everyone in this vibrant, fast-growing city,” said FTA Deputy Administrator Veronica Vanterpool. “Right now, many San Antonio households are spending nearly a quarter of their income just on transportation. This new transit line will help lessen that financial burden and create a thriving environment where everyone can enjoy greater mobility and economic opportunities.”

The service will feature dedicated lanes and synchronized traffic signals, off-board fare collection, level platform boarding, and modern stations. The project also includes upgrades to intersections, sidewalks, and drainage.

VIA’s Rapid Green Line is expected to open late 2027.