DOVER — The Delaware Department of Transportation’s operating budget request is nearly 19% larger for the fiscal year beginning July 1 compared to the current period, but that statistic is misleading, the agency’s top official said Monday.

Appearing before the budget-writing Joint Finance Committee virtually, Transportation Secretary Nicole Majeski told lawmakers the $61.6 million hike comes largely because of federal stimulus money. Congress approved a $2.2 trillion assistance bill in March, passing along significant funding to states to help cope with the COVID-19 crisis.

The department was able to use $50.4 million of that to support the Delaware Transit Corp., which operates DART First State. In the governor’s recommended budget proposed late last month, the annual subsidy is once again covered by DelDOT.

Absent that funding, DelDOT’s budget growth for the upcoming fiscal year is about 2%, Ms. Majeski said. Its proposed operating budget totals almost $393 million, $111 million of which is for debt service.

The state portion of the capital budget, which is distinct from the operating one, comes to $290 million. The federal government will provide hundreds of millions more for the agency’s construction projects.

Congress passed another stimulus plan in December, which will provide about $80.5 million to DelDOT, but the department currently does not have the details as to what that can be used for, according to the secretary. Nonetheless, those “parameters” should be determined at some point before the final budget is drawn up in late spring, meaning DelDOT’s increase will likely be less than the current $61.6 million, she said.

The agency’s revenues are down as a result of the pandemic, with a loss of $54.5 million in the fiscal year ended June 30, 2020. DelDOT is projected to lose $52.5 million this fiscal year and another $33.7 million next year before revenues pick up again, Ms. Majeski told the committee.

Still, construction continues, and DelDOT sold hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of bonds last summer to ensure funding for projects was available, she said.

Traffic was down about 50% on weekdays and 70% on weekends during the height of the pandemic last year. Though travel has mostly rebounded, it still remains below where it was before COVID-19, with lowered traffic levels of about 15% in New Castle County, 11% in Kent County and 10% in Sussex County.

“That has a direct impact on toll collections and motor fuel tax,” two of the agency’s three main revenue sources, Ms. Majeski said.

Bus use is also down, meaning a decrease in fares collected.

Budget hearings continue Tuesday, with the Department of Labor, the insurance commissioner, the treasurer and the auditor appearing before the JFC.