Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users

TRANSPORTATION EQUITY ACT: A LEGACY FOR USERS -- (House of Representatives - March 09, 2005)

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Mr. MARIO DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Chairman, first, I would like to thank Chairman Young for visiting Miami recently and spending time understanding the important transit issues that we are facing in Miami-Dade County. The most important issue at this point, as the gentleman from Alaska knows, Mr. Chairman, is allowing $100 million committed by the Florida Department of Transportation for the Miami Intermodal Center, Earlington Heights connector to be used as part of the non-Federal match towards other transit corridors in Miami-Dade County. I also want to thank the gentleman from Wisconsin for his interest, and I understand that he is also interested in even maybe going to Miami to look at that specific issue.

This provision, which would guarantee the release of the $100 million from the Florida Department of Transportation, requires legislative language that I have been working on with the gentleman from Wisconsin, also with Chairman Young and their talented staffs, I understand that negotiations are continuing on this issue and will continue to be worked on in conference after the gentleman from Wisconsin has had an opportunity to visit Miami in early April.

As the gentleman knows, the $100 million from Florida DOT will only be released if such language is included. This provision has strong bipartisan support among South Florida Members. Again, while this provision is not in the bill today, it is my understanding, Mr. Chairman, that we are continuing to work on it as the process continues.

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