San Diego’s Leaders Call on Congress to Find Solution to Transportation Funding Dilemma

San Diego, Calif. –Federal funding plays a crucial role to improve San Diego’s transportation infrastructure, but inaction by Congress to pass a long-term funding solution may put future projects in jeopardy. Current federal funding programs expire on May 31.

In an effort to deliver a unified message for Congress, the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System (MTS), local elected officials and business leaders gathered at the 12th & Imperial Transit Center to: (1) to call on Congress to solve this infrastructure funding dilemma and (2) ask the public to “stand up for transportation” on April 9 by taking public transportation.

“The MTS system is strong in terms of state-of-good-repair, but we need a stable and long-term federal funding plan to ensure our system remains healthy. Right now we don’t have that. Our cities are behind this, our business community is behind this and our regional transportation partners are behind it. Congress needs to act,” said MTS Board Chair Harry Mathis.

MTS has used more than $45 million in FTA funding to purchase 216 new buses over the past five years. Federal funding has also been used for improvement projects such as revitalizing the entire Trolley system, constructing new bus maintenance facilities and building the new bus rapid transit system called Rapid. Additionally, the Federal Transit Administration annually provides about $50 million to MTS for maintenance activities such as vandalism repairs, fare collection functions and station upgrades.

“The economic benefit that comes with infrastructure investment is indisputable. Investment in transit-related improvement projects in San Diego tops $3.7 billion, generating $5.5 billion worth of economic benefits for San Diego, including 40,000 jobs,” said San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce President & CEO Jerry Sanders. “Long-term job creation for public infrastructure improvements comes with predictable funding sources so businesses can accurately budget and plan ahead. It’s important for the federal government to account for this aspect of business and take action soon.”

The need to repair and expand our transportation system has never been greater, but the supply line for federal transportation funding is diminishing. Congress provided 10 years of flat funding and then six years of passing 32 short-term funding measures. Currently an $86 billion repair backlog faces our nation’s public transit system.

Public transit and highway grants funded from the Highway Trust Fund cannot be made without an authorization bill. A new surface transportation authorization must be passed by Congress by May 31 in order to continue funding programs that benefit the region. A lack of a new authorization bill could result in project delays, work stoppages and service reductions.

For more information regarding Stand Up for Transportation Day, visit www.StandUp4Transportation.org.

MTS operates 95 bus routes and three Trolley lines on 53 miles of double-tracked railway. Every weekday more than 300,000 passenger trips are taken on MTS bus and Trolley services. For more information on how you can use public transportation and save money, go to www.sdmts.com.

In the photo: San Diego elected officials Guy McWhirter (La Mesa, MTS Board member), Ron Roberts (County of San Diego, District 4; MTS Vice Chair), Todd Gloria (City of San Diego, District 3; MTS Board member), Jack Dale (Santee, SANDAG Chair), Tony Kranz (Encinitas, NCTD Board member), Mike Woiwode (Coronado, MTS Board member); Paul Jablonski, MTS Chief Executive Officer; Harry Mathis (MTS Board Chair), Jerry Sanders (San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce President & CEO), Kris Michell (Downtown San Diego Partnership President & CEO), Tom Brown (Chairman of the Associated General Contractors of America Work Zone Safety Committee), Jim Stone (Circulate San Diego), MTS Bus and Trolley employees, security officers, maintenance workers and contractors

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