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Funding transportation infrastructure is not a partisan issue. Ease of mobility is an issue that affects us all – particularly in South Florida, where population keeps increasing and so does the need for additional and better infrastructure.
“We are growing in population down here, and it’s becoming extremely congested…I continue to say that making smart investments in transportation is extremely important,” said Florida State Senator Shevrin Jones during a Mobility Matters podcast this summer.
Jones said it is important to see how other places, such as Seattle, WA and San Francisco, CA have been able to upgrade their infrastructure, and explore how we, too, can upgrade our transportation infrastructure, while also figuring out the best way to provide people with options so that can move freely on and off local roads.
“We should have options and alternatives, but it’s through smart investments,” Jones said. “I promise you, everyone wants to figure out what’s the best way for us to do this better and to do it right.”
Jones, who has served 12 years in the Florida Legislature serving areas of North Miami-Dade – eight in the House and four in the Senate representing District 34 – praised national, state and Miami-Dade County officials for their efforts to upgrade transportation. He cited as one example the legislature’s approval of federal funds to build charging stations for electric vehicles.
“Look at the projects that are taking place, because we understand that here, in South Florida, there are a great deal of upgrades that need to happen when it comes to our roads,” he said.
Jones said the process for the projects may be slow, but they are moving, and in the end, they will benefit all of us. He encourages people to get involved and to reach out to their legislators with their questions and concerns.
“I understand the frustration that has come up when it comes to Miami Gardens residents because of the time frame that has come to the North Corridor,” he said. “I also want to draw people’s attention to the SMART Plan and how it is working. Even look at Tri-Rail – how that’s now going into downtown Miami. These (projects) are part of the SMART Plan to help individuals move from north to south…but again, these are things that are going to take a lot of time.”
“People think of politics from the perspective of what they see on TV, they see the bickering, but what they don’t see is that there is collaboration that happens, particularly in the Senate…But I think people should be a part of this process so they know how the sausage is made,” Jones said, adding that it is important for people to know not only who their local officials are, but also their state representatives, so that people can reach out to them with questions and concerns.
“It’s making sure people understand who they should be in contact with to take their concerns,” Jones said.
Jones, who spent 10 years as a science teacher, also is heavily involved in causes to promote education. He works with the national COOP Careers organization to place recent tech graduates in high-tech companies, such as Apple and Microsoft. He also is a presidential appointee to the HBCU Advisory Board that works to ensure that historically black colleges and universities are properly funded and maintained.
To see the whole interview, go to the CITT Facebook page at: Facebook.com/TransportationTrust, or see it on Miami’s Community Newspapers’s YouTube channel: @communitynewspapers1946
Mobility Matters is streamed live every other Thursday between 9 a.m. and 10 a.m.
To learn more about the CITT and its ongoing efforts to oversee transit and transportation projects funded with the “half-penny” sales tax, visit www.miamidade.gov/CITT .
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