CyRide may receive $2 million from the federal government to buy new buses and expand its facilities and equipment.

Rep. Tom Latham, R-Iowa, said he has included this money in the U.S. House version of a federal transportation reauthorization bill, because CyRide is critical for the Ames community and the ISU student population.

“We are doing everything we can to make sure that CyRide can provide their services,” Latham said. “This is to help keep their operation going and keep costs lower.”

Because of rapid growth, CyRide has outgrown its facilities, he said.

This funding would provide a new maintenance area and expand the office from 4,200 square feet to 9,000 square feet, said Bob Bourne, CyRide transportation director.

CyRide’s bus line was just completed along with some storage area, Bourne said. He said there are plans to start building another storage area for 14 buses next week.

The new storage would go on the south side of the department, while the new office would go on the north side, Bourne said. This expansion would fill CyRide’s designated lot. If further expansion is needed, CyRide would have to move to a different location or be located in two different spots.

This project is a multiyear, ongoing effort, Latham said.

“CyRide started asking for money in 1999,” Bourne said. “It has been a slow and steady process, but we are getting there.”

Latham said the bill still has to be passed by the U.S. Senate and President Bush, but he does not believe this will be in jeopardy.

“The process looks like it’s moving fast,” Bourne said. “But you can’t really predict it. I hope the process will be completed in April or May.”

If the process is completed by May, then it would take effect in October, and the money would be available in the winter of 2005, Bourne said.

If this happens, construction could start in spring 2006, and would take 14 to 16 months to complete.

This money is specifically geared toward facility and bus expansion and cannot be used to fund operation, Bourne said.

“This is a completely different issue than the route cutbacks,” Bourne said.

“We have a very narrow definition of what we can use the money for. It is very specific that it can only be used for construction and to buy buses.”