State and local agencies line up for transportation stimulus - Jacksonville Business Journal:

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Even then, the process remainsa uncertain. estimates that the stimulus bill allocatese atleast $1.7 billion for the state. The lion’s share of that $1.34 billion – will be filtereed through FDOT and go towardroad projects. The about $315 million, will go to the locak transit agencies for capital expensese like purchasing buses and For FDOT and counties vying for their share ofthe $1.35 billion road cash, the process is similar to the way federalp money is typically distributed, in termsa of requirements. Things are pretty much “businesxs as usual,” said David Lee of FDOT’s officse of policy and planning.
The main difference is that the procesa will behurried along, he said, because of the urgencty to put the money to work. For road work FDOT has sought input fromeach county’s metropolitan planning organizatioj (MPO). Once the MPOs green-light projectx in their respective counties, FDOT will assemble a fina l list for the state and apply tothe (FHWA) to fund the After FHWA OKs the projects, FDOT can move But, FDOT will have latitudew in which projects it asks the federal government to And it has discretion over the majority of the $1.
34 billioj in road money allotted for the statr – some $900 million – which makes it uncertain how much each count y will get, FDOT spokesmann Dick Kane said. Whichever projects FDOT asks the federalo governmentto fund, it’s important that projectws be well past the conceptua l phase in their development. The reason: The statwe is under a 120-day deadline to apply for road “In order to use the moneg quickly it means that projects pretty much need to have beenvettefd already,” FDOT’s Lee said. Larry a transportation system managerwith Miami-Dade-County MPO, agreed. “Normally, it takee four to five years to put a projecgt outto bid.
Now, we’re trying to do it withibn 120 days.” he “We’ve been going crazy here in the last monthj anda half.” The counties have estimated the minimum amountf they’ll get for road projects: $188 milliojn for Miami-Dade; $41 million for Broward; and $27 milliohn for Palm Beach. Browarcd County’s MPO allocated most of its $41 million for a elevated flyover that will connec ta narrow, disjointed section of Dixie Highway in Deerfielfd Beach near Hillsboro The flyover will run a few blocks into Palm Beach County, which will share the cost. Broward will pay aboutf $37 million and Palm Beach will payabout $4.
5 million, MPO officials After applying, Miami-Dade Transit, Browarsd County Transit, Palm Tran and the , whic h operates , are expecting to get their money directly from the federal government. “We got approximatelyt $16 million, and we’re hoping to buy up to five SFRTA spokeswoman BonnieArnoldd said. “And, if we can’t find the we’re looking to buy up to 10 trailers.” Miami-Daded Transit expects to get $58.
7 million, which will fund everythinv from the construction ofa rapid-transif bus system along Kendall Drive to upgrading Metrorail and Metromover even equipping Metrorail trains with free Wi-Fi for Among other purchases, Palm Tran is planning to use its estimatedx $21 million to replace 10 of its older buse s with hybrid buses, said Lorraine Szyms, Palm Tran’s assistanr executive director. The biggest chunl of Broward County Transit’s estimateds $35 million –about $13.5 million – will go to bus stop including better shelters that will have a positivew impact ondrawing riders, spokeswoman Phyllis Berr said.