Grand Canyon gets $27.5 million federal grant for greener shuttle buses

GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK, Ariz. (AP) — Grand Canyon National Park is getting $27.5 million in federal highway money to upgrade its aging fleet of shuttle buses, which help the more than 4 million annual visitors get around the huge park.

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration announced the grant at an event Thursday on the canyon’s south rim.

The replacement project includes 30 new buses — 20 that run on compressed natural gas and 10 electric buses. Charging stations will be installed for the electric buses. The new buses are expected to reduce pollution and ease the overcrowding of vehicles at the park.

The park has over 270 miles of paved and unpaved roads.

The Grand Canyon project is one of seven to receive grants totaling $130.5 million under a Federal Highway Administration program that recognizes transportation projects of national significance that serve federal and tribal lands.

Officials from the Department of Transportation, Interior Department, the park and surrounding communities attended Thursday’s event.

“With this National Park Service grant that is part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, we’re helping to deliver safe, sustainable and reliable transportation investments that help families and visitors explore the Grand Canyon National Park and surrounding communities,” Federal Highway Administrator Shailen Bhatt said.