Congresswoman Brown delivered the following remarks
“I am Congresswoman Corrine Brown, the representative of Florida’s third congressional district. This is a great day for Central Florida and I am just thrilled to be here with all of you! Today, we are celebrating the receipt of a $2.4 million Transit award from the Department of Housing and Urban Development! Truly, this funding is a win-win for the region, and will go a long way toward creating well paying jobs! As I always say, for every $1 billion invested in transportation and infrastructure funding, 44,000 quality and well paying jobs are created! So every single investment made in our transportation system brings with it quality jobs!
In addition, this grant will also lighten traffic around the area, helping out area commuters, bring environmental benefits, as well as a tremendous boost to local Central Florida businesses that will spring up around the Sunrail stations.
Indeed, this funding will go a long way towards assisting the East Central Florida Regional Planning Council to develop Transit as an economic catalyst: and to plan for sustainable and inclusive growth around the area’s Sun Rail stations.
While providing expanded and more environmentally friendly transportation options is the main goal of the new SunRail system, I have been saying from the beginning that it is necessary to also look at the social and economic benefits of public transportation. And this grant will allow the region to plan ahead for the development that is sure to surround each of the new SunRail stations, and ensure that this development is implemented in a way that maximizes the combined transportation, housing, and economic benefits to the community and the region.”