The Department of Homeland Security has awarded the Washington-Baltimore region $14 million to protect its trains and buses, a 7.4 percent increase over last year.
Regional transportation officials will determine how the money will be spent. The passenger rail company Amtrak also received $7.2 million, nearly half of which could go toward its passenger service between Washington and Boston, according to a spokeswoman.
Metro had not received official notification of the award Tuesday, but much of the grant money will be used for the construction of an alternative operations control center, said Metro spokeswoman Lisa Farbstein. The backup will be used in case the main control center becomes inoperable.
“Without the control center, all the trains would come to a halt,” Farbstein said.
The increase comes four months after an uproar over the department slashing the amount of grant money it awarded to the targets of the Sept. 11 attacks, the nation’s capital and New York, while awarding large increases to cities like Louisville, Ky., Kansas City and Omaha, Neb.
New York City saw the biggest rise, winning $79.5 million, up from $50 million in 2005. DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff said this week’s grants were awarded based on risk and not in a response to criticism he received in over the summer.
The Bush administration distributed nearly $400 million to boost security at seaports, commuter trains and other transit systems.
Amtrak received a 14 percent increase compared to last year. Much of the money will be divided between Chicago and the rail line’s Northeast Corridor that goes from Washington through other cities like Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York and Hartford, Conn.,to Boston.
Amtrak will use grant will be used to expand the canine and explosive detection units, radiological detectors and emergency drills and passengers information, said spokeswoman Tracy Connell.
The Port of Hampton Roads in Virginia was awarded $3.5 million. It received no port security funds last year.
— The Associated Press contributed to this report.
