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Feds send $22.8 million to Florida public transit agencies impacted by last year’s hurricanes

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The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration (FTA) today announced the allocation of $22.8 million to 15 public transit systems across Florida impacted by Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria. The funding, sought by U.S Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL), will help the agencies pay for hurricane response costs, including replacing and repairing damaged equipment and facilities and projects designed to reduce the risk of future storms.

“This is welcome news for a number of transit systems in Florida,” said Nelson.  “For months they’ve had to struggle to find ways to pay for damages caused by last year’s devastating hurricanes. Thankfully, they’re finally getting some relief.”

Congress approved $330 million for the FTA’s Emergency Relief Program in February. In addition to Florida, the FTA today also announced transit agency allocations of $223.5 million for Puerto Rico, $23.3 million for Texas, $6.7 million for the U.S. Virgin Islands and $187,000 for Georgia.

https://www.transit.dot.gov/sites/fta.dot.gov/files/docs/ERInfographic10%20for%20web.png

Below are the Florida agencies receiving funding. Click here for the FTA’s funding announcement in today’s Federal Register. 

Brevard County
$153,000

Broward County
$857,000

Charlotte County
$57,000

Collier County
$226,000

Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority
$110,000

Jacksonville Transportation Authority
$734,000

City of Key West
$209,000

Lee County
$515,000 

Lynx/Central Florida Regional Transportation Authority
$432,000

Manatee County Board of County Commissioners
$70,000

Miami-Dade Department of Transportation and Public Works
$11,432,000

Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority
$80,000

Sarasota County
$111,000 

South Florida Regional Transportation Authority
$1,136,000

StarMetro (Tallahassee)
$41,000

Sens. Nelson and Rubio ask Dept. of Transportation for post-storm coordination and support

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U.S. Sens. Bill Nelson and Marco Rubio today sent the following letter to Dept. of Transportation Secretary Chao.
Following is the text of the letter sent to the Dept. of Transportation:

September 11, 2017

The Honorable Elaine Chao
Secretary
U.S. Department of Transportation
1200 New Jersey Ave., SE
Washington, DC 20590
Dear Secretary Chao:
As you are aware, Hurricane Irma made landfall in the state of the Florida as a category four hurricane early Sunday morning. Local officials have reported substantial damage to the bridges, roadways, and airports across the entire state. We thank the Department of Transportation for its swift release of emergency relief funding to begin addressing the immediate recovery needs.
While the infrastructure has yet to be fully surveyed, the need for assistance is expected to be significant. Florida Highway Patrol has already reported that portions of Interstate four in Central Florida have been washed out, and early indications are that northeast Florida roads are inundated with water. We are also hearing that bridges in the lower keys have sustained damage and are covered with debris. These roads, highways, and bridges may serve as critical routes, necessary for emergency response efforts, or vital to the delivery of much-needed fuel, food, water and other necessities post-storm. In addition, airports serve as a key hub for recovery as well, and are in the process of assessing damage. Without full functionality of these transportation pathways, Floridians are unable to resume their normal day-to-day lives.
The Department of Transportation plays a critical role in ensuring the safety and operability of our transportation network. While the level of damage to our state in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma is unclear, it is essential that all federal resources are provided to aid in restoring our state’s infrastructure to its optimal function and usability for our constituents. As state and local officials continue to assess the infrastructure damage incurred by this natural disaster, we ask the Department of Transportation to continue to coordinate with relevant federal agencies to provide all possible aid, staff and resources to address any deficiencies.
Thank you for your prompt consideration of this matter.

Sincerely,