Yesterday, the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure took up the Surface Transportation Reauthorization and Reform Act of 2015, during which committee member Rep. Lois Frankel of South Florida championed directing more funds to local metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs).

“As a former Mayor, I know well that when there is a pothole, a closed road, or broken bridge constituent calls go to local government officials,” Frankel said. “Transportation funds are most effective in the hands of community planners, who know their needs best.”

The legislation as passed by the committee would increase the amount of money going to Florida MPOs by five percent over the next six years, translating to an additional $111 million dollars. These funds could be used to finance essential new and ongoing projects that are critical to South Florida’s economy and infrastructure, including:

• Tri-Rail extension to northern Palm Beach County
• Safety improvements to grade crossings in Palm Beach County
• Improved cargo handling at Port Everglades
• Broward Complete Streets Project, which would create interconnected bike paths and optimize streets for simultaneous car, pedestrian, and bicycle use.

The large bipartisan transportation reauthorization package provides $325 billion in needed upgrades to our surface transportation infrastructure through 2021. It includes critical investments in our roads, bridges, and transit and will afford certainty to state and local transportation planners as they design major long-term projects.

Earlier this year the Senate passed its own major transportation measure, the DRIVE Act. If the differences between the House and Senate bills are worked out, the final legislation will proceed to President Obama for his signature.

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