Brownsville Observer Blog
Board members for the Metropolitan Planning Organization Policy Committee seemed unprepared for Chairman Tony Martinez simply blowing off the meeting with no notice. (Martinez came in third during the COB's mayoral election and didn't even make the runoff set for June 22.)
Quickly gathering themselves. Board Member Eddie Hernandez was selected to fill in as chair.
While much of the meeting was devoted to slight adjustments in the description of a multitude of projects, two issues of note were discussed; upgrading the city's bus stops and the MPO merger.
A survey was done of the city's 588 bus stops, determining which had sidewalks, covering shelter and were ADA compliant. If you're taken back by that number, consider that many are "bus stops" are simply signs on a pole.
Brownsville Metro's Norma Zamora said 53 of the city's bus stops would eventually be improved with 11 of those projects already completed. She stated that 1.6 riders use the system annually.
The bus service has subscribed to Ride Systems, an app that allows riders to determine exactly where their bus is on the route and it's estimated arrival time and receive an alarm as their bus nears.
Board members for the Metropolitan Planning Organization Policy Committee seemed unprepared for Chairman Tony Martinez simply blowing off the meeting with no notice. (Martinez came in third during the COB's mayoral election and didn't even make the runoff set for June 22.)
Quickly gathering themselves. Board Member Eddie Hernandez was selected to fill in as chair.
While much of the meeting was devoted to slight adjustments in the description of a multitude of projects, two issues of note were discussed; upgrading the city's bus stops and the MPO merger.
A survey was done of the city's 588 bus stops, determining which had sidewalks, covering shelter and were ADA compliant. If you're taken back by that number, consider that many are "bus stops" are simply signs on a pole.
Brownsville Metro's Norma Zamora said 53 of the city's bus stops would eventually be improved with 11 of those projects already completed. She stated that 1.6 riders use the system annually.
The bus service has subscribed to Ride Systems, an app that allows riders to determine exactly where their bus is on the route and it's estimated arrival time and receive an alarm as their bus nears.
(Hey Zamora, does that lady in the photo at right look like she would have the latest I-Phone to download the app?)
Riders must download the app on their phone to access that information.(Ride Systems received 206 very mixed reviews online.)
Pete Alvarez, representing the Pharr office of TxDot, shared details of the recent merger of the three RGV MPOs.
The agreement to merge was signed April 24, 2019 and submitted to TxDot the following day, then presented to the governor's office May 6 for final review.
Governor Abbot plans a trip to the valley late May, early June to announce the merger.
The bylaws for the new MPO need to be worked out with a new Executive Director named.
The new MPO should be operational by October 1, 2019 and should be viewed as one RGV MPO with 3 subregions.
Pete Alvarez, representing the Pharr office of TxDot, shared details of the recent merger of the three RGV MPOs.
The agreement to merge was signed April 24, 2019 and submitted to TxDot the following day, then presented to the governor's office May 6 for final review.
Governor Abbot plans a trip to the valley late May, early June to announce the merger.
The bylaws for the new MPO need to be worked out with a new Executive Director named.
The new MPO should be operational by October 1, 2019 and should be viewed as one RGV MPO with 3 subregions.
12 comments:
Doesn't say "brutal" anywhere in the story, Montoya. Geez, dude.
juan ok great mpo merger now the big question is how does the pie or cake get cut up? where will the MPO main offices end up in? hidalgo or cameron county? mcalen pharr edingburg weslaco or harlingen san benito or brownsville? one MPO director for the whole region or will you have three as we have now? i know the hidlgo MPO director is already positioning himself to be the top dog. So Brownsville and Harlingen beware. looks like a dogfight coming to see who or what area or city will land these offices.
Da Mayor a NO SHOW, doesnt surprise me CANT HANDLE THE TRUTH que no vale SEVO adios mother funker and out the door he left
imagine how many shelters we could have fixed had we not been using tax payer money to pay for a mistress's mortgage in columbia. look at San Bene they have beautiful bus shelters with clay roof tiles and modern rust free metal benches.
I didn't vote for Martinez; and I see I was RIGHT all along.
Cabler is part of that administration so Brownsville voter beware.
For those that blame Mendez for the TSC Tercero problem; she has not gotten a penny yet, I believe the college challanged the awarding, and Mendez was NOT the only one voting on the termination.
I would like to see how well he conducts himself in city meetings.
Juan i remember there was a federal grant was given years back to the city to pput in place these bus shelters and all that equipment was piled up at the bus barn at the airport. Anyway probably sold for scrap by now, but then i also remember some marketing/advertising company was willing to install these bus shelters in lieu of them advertising on them but as usual nothing gets done in brownsville and then ppl cry why Mcallen is way ahead of us. I hope the NEW CITY MANAGER NOE BERNAL READS THIS. adios
The mayor would rather have Black Magic with the Jackass Jason Hilts the credit card thief.
Take a hike Martinez and don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out good Riddance!! Now you have extra time on hand to go to church and ask for forgiveness cause all the shenanigans you were involved in.
trey could not do any worse than blue jean tony.
You may want know how much the city pays the bus director and her assistant to run that department. You probably be shocked to learn that the city pays hundreds of thousand of dollars a year.
but do they have a degree the city library director has a GED
Ms.Norma. H Zamora I have sent many written letters and emails to your transit operations planner Tracie Orcillez as well as your assistant Robert Garza. In regards to all the present problems with the intallment of the bus stop that was moved in front of my house. No one has bothered to reply it's obvious that no one cares of the serious problems I encounter everyday. You think that as a tax payer I deserve this type of treatment. I'm sure if it were a city official with the concern it wouldn't take multiple attempts to get your attention.
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