Capito Announces Congressionally Directed Spending Award to Support WVU PRT Improvements

CHARLESTON, W.Va. - Today, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies (T-HUD), announced an award from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) for West Virginia University (WVU).

This award, which was secured through a Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) request made by Senator Capito in Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24), will help WVU renovate its Personal Rapid Transport (PRT) stations and the guideway.

"Since I came to the Senate, I have heard from university leaders and students about the need to make improvements to the PRT. I was proud to use my position on the Appropriations Committee to advocate for and secure this award to support the critical role that the PRT plays when it comes to transporting students across WVU's campus," Senator Capito said. "These improvements will help ensure that this iconic and unique transportation system can remain in place to help students get across campus for years to come."

Award details listed below:

• $6,400,000 DOT CDS award to WVU (Morgantown, W.Va.) for the refurbishment of the Beechurst, Walnut, Health Sciences Center, Engineering, Towers PRT stations, and guideway. The PRT Passenger Station and Guideway Modernization Project will attempt to return the PRT stations and guideway to a state of good repair as per Federal Transit Administration requirements. Structural components including stairs, platform surfaces, and guideway components will be refurbished.

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