WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Blake Moore (R-UT) has proposed bi-partisan legislation to provide more federal support for transportation infrastructure in medium-size cities.
“Existing transit programs often favor either small or large cities, overlooking medium-sized cities such as Ogden and Layton in northern Utah,” according to Moore.
“By creating a federal set-aside to reward high-performing transit agencies operating in medium-sized cities,” he emphasized, “we can ensure that transit agencies are able to meet citizens’ needs and make the long-term investments necessary to support growing populations.”
Introduced earlier this year, the Medium Transit Intensive Cities (MTIC) Authorization Act creates a new funding category within Section 5307 of the federal transit-funding program.
Moore’s staff in Washington explained that, while medium-sized urban areas often provide transit service comparable in quality and intensity to large metropolitan systems, the current federal funding formula for infrastructure projects does not adequately recognize or reward their performance.
The program proposed by Moore and co-sponsor Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-CA) would be modeled on the successful Small Transit Intensive Cities (STIC) formula, but designed for medium-sized urban areas with 200,000 to 999,999 residents.
Under current law, transit agencies in medium-sized regions are effectively measured against—and must compete for funding with — large urban areas with populations over one million, which benefit from scale, density and significantly greater resources.
As a result, even high-performing medium-sized transit systems are at a structural disadvantage and are less able to access performance-based funding opportunities available within the existing framework.
The MTIC program proposed by Moore and Carbajal would dedicate 1.5 percent of Section 5307 funding to reward transit agencies in these mid-sized regions that meet or exceed performance benchmarks.
Metrics such as ridership, service frequency and service provided per capita would be used to ensure that funding is directed toward systems delivering strong results for their communities.
Specifically, the MTIC Authorization Act would reward high-performing transit agencies that are now often overlooked; encourage improved service and efficiency; promote equity across urban areas; and support economic growth and mobility in medium-size communities.
“The Utah Transit Authority (UTA) is especially grateful to Congressman Moore for championing this issue and advocating for transit systems in Utah that are delivering real results for the communities they serve,” according to Jay Fox, the executive director of UTA.