Authorized by the Missouri General Assembly in 1997, the STAR fund provides loans to local entities for non-highway projects such as rail, waterway and air travel infrastructure. The STAR fund can also provide loans to fund rolling stock for transit and the purchase of vehicles for elderly or handicapped persons. The STAR fund can assist in the planning, acquisition, development and construction of facilities for transportation by air, water, rail or mass transit; however, STAR fund monies cannot fund operating expenses. The local district engineer must endorse projects in cooperation with MoDOT’s Multimodal Team. The Cost Share Committee evaluates STAR applications and provides a recommendation to the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission (MHTC), which is the deciding body.
STAR Fund Eligibility - The following types of projects are eligible for STAR loans: air, water, rail or mass transit facility construction; mass transit vehicles; vehicles for elderly or handicapped persons.