Palo Alto, CA -- On January 23, 2004, President Bush signed the FY 2004 Consolidated Appropriations Bill that funded several federal departments and agencies, including the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The bill, otherwise known as the "omnibus appropriations bill," also provided specific funding for two key projects to the City of Palo Alto. City of Palo Alto projects highlighted in the bill include:

Palo Alto Children's Library - Congress earmarked $100,000 in HUD's budget for renovations and restoration of the Palo Alto Children's Library. This is the second year Congress awarded funds to the Palo Alto Children's Library. Along with City infrastructure funds, the federal funding will help renovate the 61-year-old building, the first freestanding public children's library in the United States. While maintaining the historic period architecture, the project will correct the building's seismic and accessibility deficiencies, upgrade plumbing and electrical systems, add air-conditioning, and repair the tile roof. Over $1,000,000 in private donations from 800 community members and organizations will fund a new single-story wing, increasing the size of the library by fifty percent. Various site improvements, including the renovation of the library's Secret Garden, also will be completed. The design for the renovated and expanded library will commence in the next few months, with construction anticipated to begin in early 2005.

Palo Alto Intermodal Transit Center - Congress awarded $750,000 under the Department of Transportation's budget for necessary engineering design prior to construction of the Palo Alto Intermodal Transit Center. The project will be built near the intersection of University Avenue and Alma Avenue, one of the city's busiest locations, with direct access to downtown Palo Alto, the downtown rail passenger terminal and bus transfer center, Stanford University, and the Stanford Shopping Center. Once completed, the Palo Alto Intermodal Transit Center will double the number of passenger tracks, increase the number of bus transfer layovers, improve the safety and convenience of pedestrian and bicycle access to the passenger terminal environs, and ease vehicular congestion. This is the second year Congress earmarked funds for this project. The first earmark will fund environmental analysis preliminary to engineering design. City Council adopted a master plan for the Intermodal Transit Center in 2001.

Palo Alto Mayor Bern Beecham credits the City's receipt of the federal funding to the hard work and assistance of the congressional delegation. "Without the help of Senator Feinstein, Senator Boxer, and Congresswoman Eshoo, these important projects would not receive the support they deserve. We truly appreciate their support of our community and thank them for helping us meet the needs of our citizens."

###