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19 <br /> 1 solidified route. She said this shows a general idea of what it looks like, and they can more <br /> 2 clearly show that. <br /> 3 Commissioner Fowler said it appears that the 15-501 route ends without a connection. <br /> 4 Caroline Dwyer said it kind of does, because they don't have an exact endpoint at this <br /> 5 time but more of a general area. She said there is a possibility that they could make a <br /> 6 connection to Highway 54 and the possibility it could go a different direction if it heads down <br /> 7 Franklin St. She said an alternatives analysis would hammer down some of those specifics. <br /> 8 She said she would make sure that the non-draft version depicts the possible connections more <br /> 9 clearly. <br /> 10 Commissioner Richards asked if the infrastructure bill has opportunities for transit. <br /> 11 Caroline Dwyer said yes and that there are two kinds of funding. She said one is <br /> 12 formula funding to states based on size and that it will be up to the state for how that is spent. <br /> 13 She said the second is discretionary grant programs and which have to be applied for and <br /> 14 require a local match. She said there will be more opportunities than there have been in the <br /> 15 past. She said a regional strategy would be useful so that entities are not competing against <br /> 16 one another. <br /> 17 Commissioner Richards asked how they might go about the priorities and possibly <br /> 18 moving some of the projects in sooner, if they are only depending on the tax. <br /> 19 Caroline Dwyer said only depending on the tax would make it a long process. She said <br /> 20 they would have to acquire some federal funding. She said it is worth a conversation the DCHC <br /> 21 to have a regional plan for that instead of everyone competing with each other. She said <br /> 22 everyone working regionally is better for everyone because it is a very competitive environment. <br /> 23 She said having the planning done will help you be ready for when the opportunities are <br /> 24 announced. <br /> 25 Commissioner Richards said she is assuming the efficiencies are included, such as <br /> 26 energy savings. <br /> 27 Caroline Dwyer said there are different ways to make transportation more sustainable. <br /> 28 She said that the best thing to do is land use plans that make it easy to use transit to reduce <br /> 29 vehicle trips. <br /> 30 Commissioner Fowler asked how committing to this plan affects the ability to use federal <br /> 31 funds. <br /> 32 Caroline Dwyer said that this set of projects will have a huge impact on the ability to <br /> 33 compete for federal funding. She said there are opportunities to fund some studies but those <br /> 34 are not so large that you would be precluded from pursuing those opportunities. <br /> 35 Commissioner Fowler asked where the funding would come from if dollars are <br /> 36 committed to this plan. <br /> 37 Caroline Dwyer said they will have to produce alternative sources of funding such as an <br /> 38 increase in transit tax or public-private partnerships. <br /> 39 <br /> 40 <br />