Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Grant Advocacy topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
MTPO authorizes chair to send letter to USDOT after Safe Streets grant likely cut
Summary
Boardors authorized the chair to send a letter to the U.S. Department of Transportation to advocate for preserving funding for a University Avenue safety project after receiving notice the $8 million Safe Streets and Roads for All grant may be reduced.
Mayor Ward told the board that the MTPO’s University Avenue safety project — originally linked to an $8,000,000 Safe Streets and Roads for All grant — faces a likely reduction because state and federal priorities differ.
"We had an 8,000,000 dollars grant... and last week we were advised that we would likely receive about half of that amount," Ward said, urging the board to back a chair’s letter to USDOT advocating for full funding.
The board unanimously moved and seconded a motion directing the chair to sign and send the draft letter to the U.S. Department of Transportation and authorized staff to finalize the letter immediately so the chair could meet with USDOT staff the following day. Commissioners framed the step as a last‑ditch effort to preserve as much of the grant award as possible.
The action does not change the grant application or project scope; it authorizes advocacy and formal communication with federal officials. Staff indicated Mayor Ward has a meeting with FDOT and USDOT staff to discuss the issue and requested that the chair’s letter be sent promptly to support that meeting.
