Representatives Moore, Carbajal Lead Bipartisan Effort to Support Transit Infrastructure in Mid-Sized Cities

Representatives Moore, Carbajal Lead Bipartisan Effort to Support Transit Infrastructure in Mid-Sized Cities

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Representatives Blake Moore (R-UT) and Salud Carbajal (D-CA) introduced bipartisan legislation to provide more federal support for transportation infrastructure in medium-sized cities.

The Medium Transit Intensive Cities (MTIC) Authorization Act creates a new Medium Transit Intensive Cities category within the Section 5307 transit-funding program. The program 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.

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.

"Existing transit programs often favor either small or large cities, overlooking medium-sized cities such as Ogden and Layton in Northern Utah. By creating a federal set-aside to reward high-performing transit agencies operating in medium-sized cities, we can ensure that transit agencies are able to meet citizens' needs and make the long-term investments necessary to support growing populations. I'm excited to work with Representative Carbajal to introduce the Medium Transit Intensive Cities Authorization Act to support medium-sized communities that are providing high-quality transit options," Rep. Moore said.

"Many medium-sized cities on the Central Coast and across the country have strong transit systems that people depend on to get to work, school, and to stay connected with their communities," Rep. Carbajal said. "But the current federal transit funding framework isn't adequate for these communities, leaving too many of them without the support they need. My bipartisan bill closes that gap by ensuring we invest in transit systems that serve their riders effectively, no matter the community's size."

"Utah Transit Authority (UTA) strongly supports the Medium Transit Cities Authorization Act and applauds Rep. Salud Carbajal and Rep. Blake Moore for their leadership in advancing this important bipartisan legislation," UTA Executive Director Jay Fox said. "Mid-sized regions like Utah's are experiencing rapid growth and increasing transit demand, yet too often face challenges competing for limited federal transit resources. This legislation will help ensure communities that are meeting or exceeding performance benchmarks receive the fair share of federal transit funding to improve mobility, reduce congestion, and strengthen regional economies. 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."

Under current law, transit agencies in medium-sized regions are effectively measured against-and must compete 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 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.

By aligning incentives with performance, this proposal would:

• Reward high-performing transit agencies in medium-sized regions that are often overlooked in the current formula
• Encourage improved service delivery and efficiency, strengthening transit systems nationwide
• Promote equity across urbanized areas by recognizing that strong transit outcomes are not limited to the largest cities
• Support economic growth and mobility in communities that rely on robust transit but lack proportional federal support

Read the bill here.