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Post by mrpib on Oct 31, 2017 16:17:06 GMT -6
Merging without Brownsville sounds like a good idea. Can't be waiting around for people with no vision. They'll be begging to join once they see the money start flowing in.
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Post by Minion on Nov 1, 2017 8:46:47 GMT -6
Merging without Brownsville sounds like a good idea. Can't be waiting around for people with no vision. They'll be begging to join once they see the money start flowing in. Agreed!
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Post by miles on Nov 9, 2017 8:40:05 GMT -6
Just do it already.
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Post by miles on Nov 17, 2017 14:51:59 GMT -6
Calls for HCRMA and CCRMA to merge WESLACO, RGV – At a luncheon hosted by the Society for Marketing Professional Services-RGV, Pilar Rodriguez, executive director of the Hidalgo County Regional Mobility Authority, said he would like to see the merger of the two Rio Grande Valley RMAs. While there have been extensive discussions about the possible merger of the three Rio Grande Valley Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs), Rodriguez says that combining the HCRMA with the Cameron County Regional Mobility Authority would also be beneficial, creating “one true regional mobility board.” “I think that would be the next step for the authority if I were king for the day, you know. I think that would unify … our voice – have one person with one message and all the projects prioritized on a regional level,” said Rodriguez. riograndeguardian.com/calls-for-hcrma-and-ccrma-to-merge/
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Post by Minion on Nov 17, 2017 16:11:58 GMT -6
Calls for HCRMA and CCRMA to merge WESLACO, RGV – At a luncheon hosted by the Society for Marketing Professional Services-RGV, Pilar Rodriguez, executive director of the Hidalgo County Regional Mobility Authority, said he would like to see the merger of the two Rio Grande Valley RMAs. While there have been extensive discussions about the possible merger of the three Rio Grande Valley Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs), Rodriguez says that combining the HCRMA with the Cameron County Regional Mobility Authority would also be beneficial, creating “one true regional mobility board.” “I think that would be the next step for the authority if I were king for the day, you know. I think that would unify … our voice – have one person with one message and all the projects prioritized on a regional level,” said Rodriguez. riograndeguardian.com/calls-for-hcrma-and-ccrma-to-merge/Let's just do it and not tell them we did it. lol
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Post by Minion on Feb 2, 2018 16:21:31 GMT -6
Woohoo! MPO Merger is in talks again with all four County Judges and area leaders on Monday! First State of the Valley address takes place Feb. 5
The judges will be asked a series of questions and some of the talking points for the judges include each of the county’s visions, challenges and opportunities. Each county has its own share of projects from a transportation, drainage and facility standpoint, but SMPS also wants to include regional discussion on how the counties can work together. “We want to talk about the possibility of the Metropolitan Planning Organization–MPOs combining into one, or the possibility of combining all our drainage initiatives and water districts to form [an] organized effort to take care of our region-wide drainage issues,” Godinez said. “And lastly, everyone is concerned about the next census. What’s going to happen if we actually combine the [Metropolitan Statistical Area] (MSA) of Brownsville and the MSA of McAllen with the idea that if we’re one entity, we can can ask for more money together as one [entity] than as separate entities.” riograndeguardian.com/first-state-of-the-valley-address-takes-place-feb-5/
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Post by Granola on Feb 6, 2018 8:51:47 GMT -6
Woo! I beat Minion to posting this! lol I can't wait for the day we have ONE MPO for the RGV. It just makes sense to merge. Unity at State of Valley event for merging region’s three MPOs WESLACO, RGV – There was consensus at the first ever State of the Valley address that the region’s three metropolitan planning organizations should merge.
The event featured the views and analysis of Cameron County Judge Eddie Treviño, Jr., Starr County Judge Eloy Vera, Willacy County Judge Aurelio Guerra, and Hidalgo County Economic Development Director Bobby Villarreal, who was standing in for Hidalgo County Judge Ramon Garcia. The event was hosted by the Society of Marketing Professional Services and held at Knapp Conference Center in Weslaco. Questions were posed by Sergio Contreras, president of the Rio Grande Valley Partnership. “I think for the long term we are going to be shooting ourselves in the foot if don’t develop and implement and approve a regional MPO,” said Treviño.
Guerra agreed. “We are prepared to join an MPO. Currently we are not part of an MPO. My hope is that by now we would have a single MPO to where Willacy is prepared to join. I think that is the way to go,” he said. The Valley currently has three metropolitan planning organizations – Hidalgo County MPO, Harlingen-San Benito MPO, and Brownsville MPO. Of these, only the Hidalgo County MPO has said a definite “yes” to a merger. Villarreal referenced the need to merge the three MPOs a number of times during Monday’s luncheon event. He said Judge Garcia had asked him to mention it as many times as possible. “The MPO merger would allow us to become one of the five largest metropolitan areas in the state. That gives us access to various pockets of money from TxDOT. That is a huge deal because Dallas, Houston, Austin, San Antonio pretty much take the lion’s share of that,” Villarreal said. “If we were able to be at that table and say, you know what, we need more money for bridges and international commerce, we would get more money for that. I think TxDOT figured out that, just based on the formulas right now, we would stand to gain at least $11 million more per year in transportation funding. I think the Judge (Garcia) is advocating we would love to do that. We want to do it (merge) in such a way we don’t hurt each other.” In his remarks, Treviño noted that the Harlingen-San Benito and Brownsville MPOs are “not quite on board yet” with the idea of a united MPO.
“The mayors of Brownsville and Harlingen have been asking TxDOT, show us how we are going to make more money. Prior TxDOT directors had not been forthcoming with regards to those numbers. The new director, Pete Alvarez, has provided some of that information, so, Bobby (Villarreal) alluded to it earlier, that, at a bare minimum, with the regional MPO we would be looking at an additional $11 million and that does not even address the discretionary funds,” Treviño said. “If the rest of the state, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston and surrounding areas, San Antonio and Austin, and El Paso, all of those urban areas can get together, for crying out loud, why can’t the Valley get together?” So, I am very much in favor of it.”
Treviño said it is important to make sure a united MPO is a win-win proposition for all concerned. He said he is confident that can happen. “Everybody stands to benefit if we all work together. So, I am hopeful we will have some positive news in the very, very, near future. I can tell you I am working hard behind the scenes with the elected leaders in Cameron County, and Hidalgo, to make sure that it can happen. I would live to see Willacy County and Starr County be part of that regional MPO down the road. I think it is long overdue and we all stand to benefit from it. That is my position on it.” Vera did not speak specifically about the MPO issue but he did discuss a top transportation project in Starr County. “We currently have a proposal for a relief route around Roma and Rio Grande City. Right of way is being acquired as we speak, and environmental (studies are being done). That is going to help relieve some of the congestion we have,” Vera said. riograndeguardian.com/unity-at-state-of-valley-event-for-merging-regions-three-mpos/
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Post by btx on Feb 6, 2018 14:05:07 GMT -6
If the valley's MPO do merge, I'll be keeping a close eye on how the money is distributed. I still don't favor a merger but seems like this is what may end up being...
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Post by btx on Feb 6, 2018 14:15:23 GMT -6
It will be a matter of time when all valley MPOs merge so why not have a discussion on light rail in the valley. Where a light rail could be beneficial and possible routes. Building more highways/roads only leads to more congestion and that extra "$11M" in additional funding will never be enough to keep up with traffic.
I do believe that our leaders read our discussion and hopefully they can see a need for alternative transportation. I don't want our valley to become another Houston, a monstrocity of roads and congestion...Dallas/Ft Worth or even San Antonio. More roads = more congestion. Lets see light rail or monorail...Let the discussion begin
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Post by Minion on Feb 6, 2018 17:00:23 GMT -6
You most certainly beat me! Good job! hahaha! I'm excited to see them publicly and openly discussing the merger and their leaning towards the merger! WOO & MF HOO!!! It's about time! THIS gives me SO much hope: From Cameron's Trevino “If the rest of the state, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston and surrounding areas, San Antonio and Austin, and El Paso, all of those urban areas can get together, for crying out loud, why can’t the Valley get together?” So, I am very much in favor of it.”
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