Diaz-Balart Secures First Federal Investment in Support of SMART Plan
MIAMI – (RealEstateRama) — Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart (FL-25), Chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, today announced that Miami-Dade County was awarded a $9.5 million U.S. Department of Transportation BUILD grant.
“As House Appropriations Transportation Subcommittee Chairman, I am grateful to be in a position to bring much-needed dollars home. For years, I have told the County that I am willing and able to help fund their transit needs, once a viable plan had been submitted. To their credit the County has finally taken real, tangible steps forward with the SMART Plan over the last several months, and I commend their progress. As the County continues to work with DOT, specifically the Federal Transit Administration, on the project development phase of the South Corridor Rapid Transit Project, I stand ready to assist in any way possible.
“True to my word, in my working with the Administration and with the County’s application moving forward at DOT, here is the first installment of federal dollars to compliment the implementation of the SMART Plan. The BUILD grant for Miami-Dade County will help support the continued growth and expansion of the South-Dade Transitway corridor. Specifically, the grant will help increase capacity at two park-and-ride facilities along the corridor, directly supporting the County TPO’s vote to move toward bus-rapid transit. Expanding transit in our community is critical to alleviating the traffic and gridlock that we face daily, and I am grateful for these much-needed dollars.
“I thank Secretary Chao for continuing to invest in our community’s transportation sector, and for providing the County with opportunities to improve and upgrade our infrastructure. I look forward to continue working with her to expand Southern Florida’s transit systems and will keep fighting for the funds necessary to do so.”
As House Appropriations Transportation Subcommittee Chairman, Diaz-Balart has worked with the Administration and Secretary Chao to deliver significant federal funding home to Southern Florida, including:
- $11 million to Miami-Dade County through the Federal Transit Administration’s Bus and Bus Facilities grant program
- $11 million to Miami International Airport for equipment acquisition and the rehabilitation and expansion of the airport’s apron
- $769,000 to LaBelle Municipal Airport to rehabilitate the airport’s apron
- $715,000 to Miami-based shipyard Glasstech Inc. through the Maritime Administration’s Small Shipyard grant program
- $7 million to PortMiami through the Department of Transportation’s Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) grant program
- $3.6 million to Miami-Dade County through the Competitive Bus and Bus Facilities grant program
- $13 million for Immokalee’s Complete Streets project
- $31.6 million to the South Florida Regional Transportation Authority (SFRTA) for Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties, which are serviced by Tri-Rail, through Positive Train Control (PTC) grants
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