Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Tma Funding Split topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Martin MPO rejects Saint Lucie TPO request to increase regional funding share; board keeps 68/32 split
Summary
The Martin County MPO voted to maintain the existing transportation management area (TMA) funding split of 68% Saint Lucie / 32% Martin after a letter from the Saint Lucie TPO proposed changing the allocation to 71% / 29%. The board authorized the chair to respond and said the split should be revisited later if regional traffic impacts warrant.
The Martin County Metropolitan Planning Organization voted on May 12, 2025, to maintain the current TMA funding split of 68% for Saint Lucie County and 32% for Martin County after the Saint Lucie Transportation Planning Organization requested a change to 71% / 29%.
MPO staff presented background showing that TMA (transportation management area) funds are allocated for urbanized areas established by the U.S. Census and that the Port Saint Lucie urbanized area historically split TMA funds between Saint Lucie and Martin counties. Beth Beltran, MPO staff, summarized prior adjustments to the split (62/38 → 65/35 → 68/32) and explained that Saint Lucie’s latest request would reduce Martin’s share to 29%. Beltran told the board the change would translate into roughly a $215,000 difference on the current five-year federal-attributable total of about $7.1 million for the urbanized area.
Several commissioners urged defending Martin County’s current share. Commissioner Edward Campe moved and Commissioner Stacy Hetherington seconded a motion to keep the split as adopted in 2020 (68% / 32%) and to instruct staff and the chair to respond to the Saint Lucie TPO with that position while reserving the right to seek an amended split in future negotiations. The motion carried with all present voting aye except Commissioner Eileen Vargas, who recorded the only dissent.
Board discussion reviewed earlier precedents: when the two MPOs last disputed a split, the FDOT district secretary brokered a compromise. Staff noted the percentage split can be revisited, and that any future change could be negotiated through a meeting among the MPO/TPO chairs and the FDOT district secretary. Staff also flagged a modeling issue: Saint Lucie’s land-use revisions and growth projections (particularly in southwest Saint Lucie County) drive large projected traffic increases on corridors entering Martin County, which is part of the rationale Saint Lucie provided for requesting a larger share.
What the vote means operationally: staff said keeping the 68/32 split preserves the current allocation method for federal-attributable/TMA funds used in the MPO’s project programming and the TIP process. The board recorded that it expects to continue pressing for a larger Martin share in future discussions given regional traffic impacts, and it instructed staff to prepare an official response to the Saint Lucie TPO letter.
Discussion vs. decision: the board took a formal vote to maintain the current split and authorized staff/chair follow-up; staff said any future change would require negotiation and possible FDOT mediation or an amendment process.
