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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS[Press Conference: "RAISE Grant Funding for Telephone Road Project"]
FIRST, AND THEN WE'LL GET STARTED.I'M VERY, VERY EXCITED TO BE HERE TODAY AND WITH CONGRESS CITA SIRIA GARCIA.
AND, UH, LEMME JUST START OFF FROM THE VERY BEGINNING.
WE'RE THANKING YOU, UH, FOR, UM, YOUR EFFORTS, YOUR WORK, YOUR ADVOCACY, YOUR VOTE, UH, QUITE FRANKLY, FOR HELPING TO MAKE THIS.
SO PLEASE GIVE IT UP TO CONGRESS GARCIA.
IN FACT, WE'RE GONNA BE TALKING ABOUT THE RAISE GRANT, WHICH HAPPENS NOW TO FALL IN WITHIN YOUR EXISTING DISTRICT.
UH, AND THEN VIRTUALLY WE WILL BE HEARING FROM, UH, CONGRESSMAN AL GREEN OF THE NINTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK HIM FOR HIS ADVOCACY AND SUPPORT, AND I THINK THROUGH THE REDISTRICTING PROCESS, UH, THIS AREA WILL THEN FALL INTO HIS, UH, CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT.
AND THEN I WANT TO, UH, I KNOW THAT CONGRESSWOMAN, CHIEF OF JACKSON LEES, UH, PERSON EUROPA HARRIS, WHERE EUROPA IS HERE TODAY.
SO THANK YOU FOR BEING VERY PRESENT.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE CONGRESSWOMAN FOR HER SUPPORT, ADVOCACY AND, AND VOTE AS WELL.
UH, THEN WE HAVE WITH US, UH, UH, CITY COUNCIL MEMBER ROBERT GALLEGOS OF DISTRICT I, AND, UH, INTIMATELY FAMILIAR, UH, WITH THIS, WITH THIS AREA.
UM, I KNOW STATE SENATOR CAROL ALVARADO IS ON HER WAY, AND IT'S COMING.
UH, WE HAVE STATE REPRESENTATIVE CHRISTINA MORALES OF THE HUNDRED AND 45TH DISTRICT.
AND THANK YOU, UH, FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU CONTINUE TO DO.
SOMEONE WHO I'VE WORKED VERY CLOSELY WITH AT THE COUNTY.
IN FACT, WE ARE LIKE, UM, VERY CLOSE WITH THE CITY AND THE COUNTY.
AND AS COMMISSIONER ADRIAN GARCIA HARRIS COUNTY PRECINCT TWO.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU ARE DOING.
I DO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE DAVID FIELDS, WHO IS THE CITY OF HOUSTON CHIEF TRANSPORTATION PLANNER, DAVID FIELDS.
WELL, YOU, YOU CAN COME STAND RIGHT UP.
AND WHERE'S VERONICA IS VERONICA HERE.
LET ME ACKNOWLEDGE THESE TWO, UH, WHO HAVE WORKED VERY, VERY HARD ON MAKING THIS POSSIBLE.
UH, PULLING EVERYTHING TOGETHER.
I TELL YOU WHAT, ONE OF, DAVID, WHY DON'T YOU STAND HERE, VERONICA, WHY DON'T YOU COME? STAND RIGHT THERE.
UH, CERTAINLY WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND ACKNOWLEDGE THESE TWO.
AND THEN, UM, SONNY GARZA WITH THE GULF GATE TURS.
UH, THAT'S WORKED VERY CLOSELY WITH US ON THIS PROJECT.
UH, I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE ALSO, UH, UH, RICK GARCIA OF THE HARRISBURG TURS, UH, KEN BROWN, WEST.
KEN, WHY DON'T YOU COME? KEN IS METRO'S DIRECTOR OF SERVICE PLANNING, UH, WHO IS HERE TODAY ON BEHALF OF METRO.
UM, AND THEN FRANCIS CASTANEDA.
D WHERE IS SHE THAT SHE IS? OKAY, WHO'S WITH THE, WHO IS, OKAY, LET ME WAIT.
WHO IS THE HOUSTON HOUSTON EAST END CHAMBER OF COMMERCE? I WANNA THANK FRANCIS STATE SENATOR CAROL ALVARADO HAS JOINED US.
THANK YOU, UH, STATE SENATOR FOR, FOR BEING HERE.
AND THEN AS VERONICA CHOPPA KAKI.
IS SHE HERE? WHERE SHE, WHO IS WITH, IS PRESIDENT OF THE EAST END, UH, DISTRICT.
UH, NOW DID I LEAVE OUT ANY, WHERE'S DIRECTOR HAT? DIRECTOR HADDOCK? YEAH.
DIRECTOR HACKER WAS HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS.
UM, SO AS YOU CAN SEE, WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS A COLLECTIVE EFFORT, UH, IN PUTTING THE APPLICATION TOGETHER.
IT TOOK ALL OF THESE INDIVIDUALS, UH, BUT WE WOULD NOT BE CELEBRATING THIS PARTICULAR MOMENT WITHOUT THE VOTE AND THE MONEY.
ALL RIGHT NOW ABOUT THIS PROJECT.
UH, TODAY WE ARE HERE TO ANNOUNCE THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
IT'S ONE OF THE FIRST, UH, BENEFICIARIES OF THE IIJA, BETTER KNOWN AS THE BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE LAW.
AND I, AGAIN, I WANT TO PERSONALLY THANK CONGRESS CONGRESSWOMAN SYLVIA GARCIA, UH, WHO HAS JUST BEEN VERY INSTRUMENTAL, UH, IN MAKING THIS HAPPEN, ALONG WITH CONGRESSMAN AL GREEN.
UH, AND OF COURSE, ALL OF OUR, UH, MEMBERS OF THE CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO VOTED FOR IT, UH, UH, FOR MAKING THIS HAPPEN.
THE, THE GOOD
LOOK, ALL OF THESE MEMBERS OF THE, OF CONGRESS PLAYED A CRITICAL ROLE IN HELPING THE CITY OF HOUSTON SECURING THESE DOLLARS.
THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION COORDINATES RAISED GRANTS, AND THAT'S REBUILDING AMERICAN INFRASTRUCTURE WITH SUSTAINABILITY AND EQUITY, WHICH TAKES COMPETITIVE APPLICATIONS FOR SURFACE
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TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE.PROJECTS THAT HAVE A SIGNIFICANT LOCAL OR REGIONAL IMPACT IN COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE BEEN HISTORICALLY DISADVANTAGED AND ARE SOCIALLY VULNERABLE.
UNDER OUR ADMINISTRATION, HOUSTON HAS PREVIOUSLY BEEN AWARDED WHAT WAS THEN CALLED A TIGER GRANT FOR $9.5 MILLION TO SECURE DANGEROUS ROADS PRONE TO FLOODING.
TODAY'S ANNOUNCEMENT IS MORE THAN DOUBLE THAT AWARD, THANKS TO THE FUNDS SECURED BY THESE MEMBERS OF CONGRESS.
AND THANKS TO THE LAW SIGNED BY PRESIDENT BIDEN.
AND THANKS TO THE SUPPORT OF THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND LOCAL PARTNERS STANDING HERE TODAY WHO ARE ALL VERY INSTRUMENTAL IN PULLING THIS APPLICATION TOGETHER.
IN FACT, I'M COUNCIL MEMBER SALLY ALCORN.
YEAH, I'M LOOKING RIGHT AT YOU, CARLOS.
AND COUNCIL MEMBER CARLOS SAYS, NARROWS THREE.
UM, AS I LOOKED AROUND, 'CAUSE EVERYBODY WORKED TOGETHER TO PULL THIS APPLICATION TOGETHER ON SHORT NOTICE, AND THEN OF COURSE TURNED IT OVER, AND THEN THE, THE CONGRESS, UH, MEMBERS DID, DID THE REST.
I CERTAINLY WANT TO THANK THEM.
UH, 'CAUSE WE ARE PROUDLY ANNOUNCING.
THE CITY OF HOUSTON HAS BEEN AWARDED $20.96 MILLION, ROUGHLY $21 MILLION BY SECRETARY PETE BUTTIGIEG FOR THE TELEPHONE ROAD MAIN STREET REVITALIZATION PROJECT.
IT IS A REHABILITATION PROJECT WITH RECONSTRUCTION NEEDS THAT REBUILD SIDEWALKS, OPTIMIZES BUS STOPS TO BOOST LEVELS FOR MAXIMUM ACCESS, OPTIMIZES SIGNALIZE INTERSECTIONS, IMPROVE STREET CROSSINGS, PROVIDE PROTECTED BIDIRECTIONAL BIKE LANES, AND ADD INTERSECTION SAFETY TREATMENTS.
THIS GRANT WILL SUPPORT TELEPHONE ROAD BETWEEN LAWNDALE AVENUE TO THE NORTH AND SOUTH LOOP.
SIX 10 TO THE SOUTH TO THE NORTH OF THE PROJECT.
THE HARRISBURG REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY IS REVAMPING TELEPHONE ROAD FROM LAWNDALE TO POLK STREET TO THE SOUTH.
THE GOV GATE REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY IS SIMILARLY GIVEN TELEPHONE ROAD, A MAKEOVER FROM SOUTH LOOP SIX 10 TO VILLE STREET.
THE GRANT FILL THE GAP BETWEEN THE TWO AND WILL HELP CREATE A COMPREHENSIVE CORRIDOR FIVE MILES LONG BETWEEN THE HOBBY AREA AND THE HOUSTON EAST END.
IT CONNECTS TWO OF OUR COMPLETE COMMUNITIES INVESTING IN NEIGHBORHOODS THAT HAVE PREVIOUSLY BEEN OVERLOOKED IN INFRASTRUCTURE.
THESE NEIGHBORHOODS ARE IN PRIORITY AREA ALRIGHT, PRIORITY HERE AT CITY HALL.
AND WITH TODAY'S ANNOUNCEMENT, THEY ARE NOW A PRIORITY ON CAPITOL HILL.
THANKS TO OUR CON MEMBERS OF THE CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION.
IN ADDITION TO THE TWO MEMBERS OF CONGRESS, I WANT TO THANK COUNCIL MEMBER ROBERT GALLEGOS, HARRIS COUNTY COMMISSIONER ADRIAN GARCIA, AND STATE SENATOR CAROL ALVARADO, UH, FOR THEIR LETTERS OF SUPPORT THAT WERE A VITAL PART OF OUR APPLICATION.
SO, THANK TO EACH ONE OF YOU INDIVIDUALLY, PERSONALLY, THANK YOU.
TO SECURE AN AWARD OF THIS SIZE.
IT INDEED TAKES EVERYONE BEING ON THE SAME PAGE.
A SPECIAL NOTE TO OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY PARTNERS, INCLUDING THE EAST END CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, THE EAST END MANAGEMENT DISTRICT, AND THE GREATER HOUSTON PARTNERSHIP, AS WELL AS METRO.
AND OUR PARTNERS IN THE GULF GATE REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY TOUR EIGHT.
AND THE HARRISBURG REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY TURNS 23.
WITH THAT, UH, LET ME AGAIN THANK OUR MEMBERS OF CONGRESS WHO WORKED ACROSS THE AISLE TO PRODUCE THE BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE LAW.
THAT LAW IS ALREADY PAYING OFF FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
PRESIDENT BIDEN AND ME THANK HIM AND HIS ADMINISTRATION FOR THEIR LEADERSHIP.
AND I HOPE, UH, THAT THEY CAN COME TO HOUSTON TO SEE HOW THIS LAW IS MAKING OUR CITY SAFER, BETTER FOR BUSINESS, AND MORE EQUITABLE FOR EVERY HOUSTON NEIGHBORHOOD AT THIS POINT.
LET ME YIELD NOW TO CONGRESS
AND, UH, WE'LL GET THAT CON GETTING CLOSE.
BUT, YOU KNOW, UM, IT'S GREAT TO BE BACK AT CITY HALL.
UH, WHEN I LEFT HERE, I WAS WATCHING THE MONEY, AND AS YOU CAN SEE NOW, I'M WORKING ON BRINGING HOME THE MONEY.
AND MAYOR, YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
IT'S, IT'S, THERE'S MORE TO COME.
THIS IS THE FIRST ANNOUNCEMENT, AS HE SAID.
AND NOT ONLY THROUGH THE INFRASTRUCTURE BILL, BUT THROUGH OTHER FUNDING, UH, MECHANISMS THAT WE HAVE PASSED, UH, IN THIS LAST YEAR.
SO THERE'LL BE MONEY COMING TO THE PORT OF HOUSTON TO METRO FOR MORE PROJECTS FOR, UM, FOR THE POLICE, POLICE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING.
SO IT'S REALLY ABOUT A, A, A WHOLE BUNCH OF THINGS.
UH, BUT, YOU KNOW, JUST AS WE ALWAYS LIKE TO SAY, YOU KNOW, IT'S, WE, WE GET THE MONEY AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN DOWN HERE, AND THEN WE
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TRUST YOU TO SPEND THE, AS QUICKLY AS YOU CAN TO MAKE SURE THAT IT HITS THE GROUND.BECAUSE THAT HAS BEEN, THE WHOLE FOCUS OF THESE DOLLARS IS MAKING SURE THAT IT GOES TO WHERE IT'S MOST NEEDED, UH, THE MOST NEED.
UH, AND I WANNA FIRST START BY THANKING THE PRESIDENT, UH, FOR HIS VISION IN MAKING THIS POSSIBLE.
BECAUSE OTHER PRESIDENTS BEFORE HIM HAVE TRIED AND TRIED AGAIN TO PASS AN INFRASTRUCTURE BILL THROUGH CONGRESS.
BUT OUR PRESIDENT, PRESIDENT BIDEN GOT IT DONE.
AND MAYOR, I, I, I THINK, UM, WE, WE, UH, LIKE TO MAKE NOTE THAT IT WAS BIPARTISAN.
UH, THERE WAS, UH, 13 MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE, UH, WHO THERE WERE REPUBLICAN SIDE OF THE AISLE WHO VOTED FOR THIS BILL.
AND 19 REPUBLICANS, UH, VOTED, UH, FOR THIS BILL IN THE SENATE.
REGRETTABLY, HOWEVER, NONE OF THOSE WERE FROM TEXAS.
UH, BUT REST ASSURED THAT WITH THE HELP WITH SOME OF OUR OTHER FRIENDS, WE GOT IT DONE.
I'M ALSO PROUD TO, TO KNOW THAT, UM, WE HAVE SO MANY FRIENDS HERE THAT ARE, HAVE BEEN A PART OF THE PROCESS.
'CAUSE NOTHING, NOTHING LIKE THIS GETS DONE.
UH, IF I'M IN WASHINGTON AND DON'T TALK TO ANY OF THESE FOLKS, YOU DON'T GET THINGS DONE THAT WAY.
SO FROM THE BOTTOM UP, THE TOP DOWN, WE GOT IT DOWN.
THE SUPPORT LETTERS, ALL THE ADVOCACY WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE BY SO MANY PROOF, PROOF, PRODUCTIVE, AND WE WERE SUCCESSFUL.
SO I THINK THIS IS A GREAT EXAMPLE, MAYOR, OF WHAT WE CAN GET DONE FOR EQUITY, FOR SUSTAINABILITY, FOR BRINGING COMMUNITIES TOGETHER, FOR TRANSCENDING AND BEING INNOVATIVE AND LOOKING FORWARD.
UH, BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE OUR CITY IS GOING FORWARD.
AND THESE DOLLARS WILL HELP US GET THERE.
AND IT PROVES ONCE AGAIN, THAT WHEN YOU PUT PEOPLE OVER POLITICS, IT WORKS PEOPLE OVER POLITICS.
BECAUSE OUR JOB IS TO GET IT DONE.
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE BRING GOOD PAYING JOBS TO OUR AREA.
AND MAYOR, YOU'RE DOING A GREAT JOB IN THAT ARENA.
I WAS PLEASED TO SAY THAT I, I PAID, I THINK IT WAS 3 39 FOR GAS OVER THE WEEKEND.
WE WERE COMPLAINING 'CAUSE IT WAS GETTING CLOSE TO FIVE, BUT IT'S ALREADY DOWN.
WE'RE WORKING ON THESE THINGS.
PEOPLE JUST MUST BE A LITTLE PATIENT AND MAYOR.
IT'S ABOUT SAFER COMMUNITIES, RIGHT? AND I KNOW WE HAVE SENT YOU SOME DOLLARS ALREADY, UH, FOR WORK IN, IN PUBLIC SAFETY, BUT THERE WILL BE MORE COMING IF THINGS GET DONE ON FRIDAY.
WE'LL HAVE A BIG, ANOTHER BIG VOTE ON FRIDAY THAT WILL FOCUS ON ALL OF THESE THREE THINGS.
UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN PEOPLE GET AROUND THE KITCHEN TABLE AND LOOK AT THEIR FOOD PRICES, THEIR GAS PRICES, AND OTHER THINGS THAT IMPACT THEIR LIVES DAILY, THAT THEY'LL KNOW THAT CONGRESS IS WORKING FOR THEM.
UH, SO WE'LL BE BACK, UH, BECAUSE I WATCHED THE MONEY HERE, BUT NOW MY JOB IS TO BRING IT HOME.
WELL, YOU'RE DOING AN EXCEPTIONAL JOB AT BRINGING IT HOME, BUT I DON'T WANNA PAT YOU ON THE BACK TOO MUCH BECAUSE WE STILL WANT YOU TO BRING A WHOLE LOT BACK INTO AND A COUPLE OF WHEELBARROWS.
UH, ANOTHER CONGRESSPERSON, UM, WHO'S ANOTHER CHAMPION FOR HOUSTON IS VIRTUALLY, UH, CONGRESSMAN AL GREEN.
YES, I CAN SEE AND HEAR YOU QUITE WELL.
AND I MUST TELL YOU, I, I REGRET THAT I'M NOT THERE TO BE A PART OF THAT, UH, PICTURE.
THAT IS A GREAT PICTURE AND IT REALLY IS REPRESENTATIVE OF WHAT AMERICA LOOKS LIKE.
UH, I THINK THAT WHEN WE IN HOUSTON CELEBRATE, WE HAVE MUCH TO CELEBRATE.
BUT OUR DIVERSITY IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE BEST REASONS FOR US TO CELEBRATE WHAT WE ACCOMPLISH.
AND I THANK YOU FOR YOUR EFFORTS TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU REPRESENT ALL OF THE PEOPLE IN HOUSTON, AS IS EVIDENCED BY YOUR WORKFORCE, YOUR STAFF.
UH, MAYOR, I'M JUST GRATEFUL TO YOU.
SO WOULD YOU JOIN ME PLEASE? IN GIVING THE MAYOR A BIG EXPRESSION OF APPRECIATION FOR WHAT HE DOES TO MAKE SURE THAT WE MAINTAIN THE DIVERSITY THAT MAKES OUR CITY SO, UH, INDUSTRIOUS AND ENTERPRISING.
UH, I DO WANNA MENTION, UH, SENATOR ALVARADO BECAUSE SHE AND I WERE AT THE WHITE HOUSE TOGETHER JUST YESTERDAY, AND I HAD AN INVITATION TO ATTEND ANOTHER EVENT THERE TODAY THAT I ACCEPTED, UH, WHICH IS WHY I'M NOT THERE WITH YOU.
BUT I ASSURE YOU, UH, I AM WITH YOU WHEN IT COMES TO BRINGING OUR TAX DOLLARS HOME.
UH, WE ARE A, A CITY THAT IS, UH, SENDING A LOT OF MONEY TO WASHINGTON, DC AND WE WANNA BRING A LOT OF MONEY BACK SO THAT WE CAN TAKE CARE OF PROJECTS SUCH AS THIS.
AND THIS PROJECT, UH, WILL DO A LOT FOR OUR CITY, ESPECIALLY THIS AREA, BECAUSE WHEN WE INCREASE THE, THE ROAD SIZES AND WHEN WE BRING IN
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THE SIDEWALKS, WE MAKE THE AREA PEDESTRIAN FRIENDLY, UH, SUCH THAT, UH, PEOPLE WILL HAVE A MEANS BY WHICH THEY CAN TRAVERSE THE AREA IN A SAFE WAY.WE ALSO DO SOMETHING WITH DRAINAGE.
UH, THIS IS ALWAYS IMPORTANT ANYWHERE IN HOUSTON, TEXAS, BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF FLOODING.
WELL, THIS WILL HELP US WITH DRAINAGE.
AND FINALLY, THERE'S SOMETHING ELSE.
I HAVE A PIECE OF STATISTICAL INFORMATION THAT I'D LIKE TO CALL TO YOUR ATTENTION.
I AM TOLD THAT 6% OF THE CITY STREETS REPRESENT 60% OF THE CRASHES THAT LEAD TO DEATHS AND INJURIES.
WELL, TELEPHONE ROAD HAPPENS TO BE AMONG THEM.
AND BY DOING THIS, WE ARE ACTUALLY EXPENDING MONEY TO SAVE LIVES.
THIS IS A LIFE SAVING OPPORTUNITY FOR US, AND I'M SO PROUD THAT, UH, THE CITY IS TAKING ADVANTAGE OF IT.
SO MAYOR, I THANK YOU FOR YOUR STEWARDSHIP, UH, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, THANK YOU AS WELL.
UH, COMMISSIONER GARCIA, WANT TO THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO.
NOT ONLY IN THIS PROJECT, BUT MANY OTHERS AND ALL OF THE OTHER PERSONS THAT HAD A HAND IN THIS.
IT MEANS A LOT TO KNOW THAT IN HOUSTON, WE WORK TOGETHER TO SERVE ALL OF OUR CONSTITUENTS BETTER.
UH, HOUSTON IS A GREAT CITY BECAUSE WE HAVE GREAT DIVERSITY AND GREAT LEADERSHIP THAT STARTS AT THE TOP WITH OUR MAYOR.
SORRY, I CAN'T BE THERE WITH YOU, BUT WE ARE GONNA KEEP SENDING THE DOLLARS BACK REGARDLESS AS TO WHERE WE ARE.
AND REALLY, APPRECI REALLY APPRECIATE YOU AND YOUR LEADERSHIP.
LEMME NOW BRING UP STATE, UH, SENATOR CAROL ABARA.
AND THANK YOU TO CONGRESSWOMAN GARCIA.
THE PROCESS THAT YOU SEE HERE, THIS IS THE WAY IT'S SUPPOSED TO WORK, WHERE YOU HAVE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, COUNTY, STATE, LOCAL, EVERYBODY WORKING TOGETHER.
MANY OF US ARE ASKED TO SIGN LETTERS OF SUPPORT FOR VARIOUS PROJECTS.
SOMETIMES YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT HAPPENS TO THOSE PROJECTS BECAUSE PEOPLE REALLY AREN'T WORKING IT LIKE THEY SHOULD BE.
BUT WITH OUR CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION, WE KNOW THAT THEY WERE WORKING IT EXTREMELY WELL TO THE POINT THAT IT MADE IT IN THE BIG INFRASTRUCTURE BILL.
AND I WANNA GIVE A LOT OF CREDIT TO THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION.
YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU FOCUS ON THINGS LIKE THIS THAT REALLY WORK TO IMPROVE PEOPLE'S LIVES, THAT'S WHAT GOVERNMENT IS SUPPOSED TO DO.
AS THE CONGRESSWOMAN SAID, PUT POLITICS BEHIND PEOPLE, PEOPLE AHEAD OF POLITICS.
THAT'S WHAT OUR CONSTITUENTS WANT.
SO, TELEPHONE ROAD WAS OVERDUE FOR A FACELIFT.
IT'S ONE OF THE OLDEST AND VERY HISTORICAL STREETS AND HIGHWAYS IN HOUSTON.
LOT OF INTERESTING HISTORY THERE.
AND BY EN ENHANCING THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND BRINGING IN LANDSCAPING AND TAKING CARE OF SOME OF THE FLOODING ISSUES, IT'S GOING TO CREATE A MORE APPEALING AREA FOR PEOPLE WANT TO WANNA GET OUT ON THEIR BIKES, TO WANNA WALK AND MAKING IT A QUALITY OF LIFE ENVIRONMENT THAT PEOPLE WANT TO COME TO.
SO THANK YOU MAYOR FOR ORGANIZING THIS AND FOR THE CITY SUPPORT.
WE KNOW THAT YOU HAVE PEOPLE IN WASHINGTON ADVANCING YOUR CAUSES, OUR CAUSES IN THE CITY, OUR COUNTY GOVERNMENT, STATE GOVERNMENT, OUR SPECIAL PURPOSE DISTRICTS, AND ALL OF THOSE WHO WORK HAND IN HAND TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN.
LET THIS BE AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO DO AND TO SHOW THE SUCCESS WHEN WE WORK AS ONE AND WHEN WE WORK IN A BIPARTISAN WAY AND WE FOCUS ON THINGS THAT IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES.
I, ARIZONA STATE SENATE FROM THE STATE HOUSE STATE REPRESENTATIVE CHRISTINA MORALES.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE.
AND, UH, THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER GALLEGOS FOR INVITING ME TO BE HERE TODAY.
THE TRUE CHAMPIONS OF THIS PROJECT ARE, ARE CONGRESS PEOPLE, UH, LA AND REPRESENTATIVE, UH, GREEN.
WE THANK YOU SO MUCH AND WE CELEBRATE YOU TODAY.
THAT'S WHY I AM HERE TODAY TO CELEBRATE THEM BECAUSE THEY'RE THE TRUE CHAMPIONS AND SO MANY PEOPLE ON THIS STAGE FOR MAKING THIS HAPPEN.
TELEPHONE ROAD IS VERY HISTORICAL.
I WENT TO SCHOOL ALONG TELEPHONE ROAD, SO I REMEMBER MY PARENTS DRIVING UP THE STREET, AND AS OUR SENATOR SAID, IT'S SO HISTORICAL, THE BIG COCA-COLA SIGN.
REMEMBER THAT IT'S SUCH, UH, AN IMPORTANT PART OF OUR COMMUNITY, OF THE DISTRICT THAT I REPRESENT.
AND I CAN TELL YOU, EVERYBODY STANDING HERE TODAY IS HERE BECAUSE THEY WANNA IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF ALL OF OUR CONSTITUENTS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
AND WE THANK YOU SO MUCH FROM THE COUNTY PRECINCT TWO COMMISSIONER ADRIANNE GARCIA
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FIRST OF ALL, LET ME JUST, UH, ONCE AGAIN, THANK LA CONTA MY CONTA AND THANK HER FOR HER LEADERSHIP.
AND I WOULD ALSO JUST SAY, MAYOR, THAT IT IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT TO REEMPHASIZE, UH, WHAT SENATOR ELDORADO SAID AND WHAT, UH, REPRESENTATIVE ROD SAID.
AND THANK OUR CITY DELEGATION, COUNCILOR GALLEGOS, UH, CIS AND CAYMAN, THANK THEM FOR THEIR RESPECTIVE LEADERSHIP AS WELL AS THE CITIZENS WHO TAKE ON A ROLE IN OUR RESPECTIVE COMMUNITIES.
AND A LETTER OF SUPPORT WAS MY PART OF THE CONTRIBUTION IN THIS PROCESS.
BUT IT, IT'S A LETTER OF SUPPORT LIKE THE SENATOR MENTIONED, THAT IF WE DON'T PROVIDE, UH, THEN IT BEGINS TO CHANGE THE CONFIGURATION OF A VERY, VERY COMPLICATED PUZZLE.
BUT THERE'S ALSO A SECOND PIECE OF THAT.
AND IT'S ENSURING THAT INTERNALLY IN HARRIS COUNTY, THAT WE ARE NOT GETTING THE PAR THE PROCESS EVEN MUCH MORE COMPLICATED BY THEN COMPETING IN A PARALLEL, UH, MANNER.
SO I'M EXCITED THAT, UH, WE WERE ABLE TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE PROCESS AND ENSURE THAT ALL THINGS MOVED ALONG IN A VERY STREAMLINED AND, UH, E EQUITABLE WAY.
NOW, IF WE COULD JUST GET THE STATE TO GET OUTTA THE WAY, OBVIOUSLY PRESENT COMPANY NOT INCLUDED, UH, WE COULD MAKE EVEN A GREATER DIFFERENCE IN OUR RESPECTIVE, UH, COMMUNITIES.
BUT THE DETAILS TO THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT, NUMBER ONE, WHEN I GO EAT MY BREAKFAST AT TELE WINK, I, I WON'T HAVE TO STRAP ON MY HELMET RIGHT
BUT EFFECTIVELY, THIS IS VERY CONSISTENT WITH YOUR COMPLETE COMMUNITIES.
AND PRECINCT TWOS REVIVE TO THRIVE REVITALIZING NEIGHBORHOODS WHILE THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN ADVOCATING FOR THE IMPROVEMENTS ARE STILL LIVING THERE AND NOT SEE THE IMPROVEMENTS COME JUST BECAUSE GENTRIFICATION IS DRIVING THOSE CHANGES.
AND SO PROVIDING A MORE ACCESSIBLE, MORE WALKABLE, UH, UH, UH, CORRIDOR, BETTER PLACES TO LIVE, WORK, AND PLAY.
ALL OF THIS HELPS TO STEM THE TIDE OF PRICING OUT RESIDENTS AND STRIPPING THE COMMUNITY OF THEIR LONGTIME CULTURE THAT IS REVIVE TO THRIVE.
AND THEN THE OTHER IMPROVEMENTS THAT COME WITH IT IS ADDING BIKE LANES.
I KNOW COMMISSIONER ELLIS WILL BE VERY EXCITED.
UH, HE'LL BE RIDING THROUGH THERE AS SOON AS THEY'RE DONE, UH, THE SIDEWALKS SO THAT OUR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES CAN MAKE THE COMMUNITY AND OR ENJOY THE COMMUNITY.
AND, AND IT WOULD BE MUCH MORE SAFE AND WALKABLE.
IT, IT ALSO CREATES A MEDIUM, UH, THAT WILL BRING SAFETY AND BEAUTIFICATION BETWEEN WINKLER AND SIX 10.
UH, IT'LL IMPROVE AND BUILD CROSSWALKS THROUGHOUT THE PROJECT AND IMPROVE 40 TELEPHONE BUS ROUTES TO BOOST, UH, STANDARD, UH, STANDARDS WITH IMPROVED ACCESSIBILITY FOR WHEELCHAIRS AND STROLLERS, BUS SHELTERS WITH LIGHTING AND DIGITAL, REAL TIME BUS ARRIVAL AND EASIER TRAFFIC FLOW.
AND SO ALL OF THIS IS EXCITING, BUT SIMPLY TO BE SAID THAT LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, IT MATTERS WHO IS IN OFFICE.
AND AS IT'S BEEN SAID, BUT IT CAN'T BE SAID ENOUGH.
WE WANT TO THANK, UH, PRESIDENT BIDEN, UH, FROM HARRIS COUNTY TO HOUSTON, UH, TO LET HIM KNOW THAT WE ARE SO GRATEFUL.
BUT IF WE DID NOT HAVE ADVOCATES LIKE LAA AND LIKE EL CON, UH, AL GREEN, AND, UH, AND LA SHEILA, UH, IF WE DID NOT HAVE THEM IN OFFICE, UH, WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO STAND HERE AND CELEBRATE.
UH, AND THIS INFRASTRUCTURE BILL IS SOMETHING THAT REALLY CUTS TO OUR RESPECTIVE COMMUNITIES FOR ALL THE THINGS THAT, UH, THAT NEIGHBORS WANT TO SEE AND EXPECT OF THEIR COMMUNITIES.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S GREAT THAT WHEN WE MAKE THE CALL TO WASHINGTON, DC YOU WANT ME TO SEE STUFF THAT YOU, THE PRESIDENT, UH, IN OUR RESPECTIVE DELEGATION ACTUALLY ANSWERED.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH IN ENGLISH, RETRAIN.
YOU SEE, I STARTED THE SPANISH OF LA CONGRESS AND THEY JUST DONE PICKED UP ON IT.
YOU KNOW,
LOOK, I ALSO WANNA CALL ON THE A GROUP THAT I, I I REALLY APPRECIATE, UH, WORKING WITH EVERY SINGLE DAY.
UH, THEY, THE SPOKESPERSON WILL BE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ROBERT GALLEGOS OF DISTRICT I, UH, BUT COUNCIL MEMBER CARLSON OF DISTRICT H IS PRESENT.
AND THEN AT LARGE MEMBER COUNCIL MEMBER SALLY ALCO IS ALSO PRESENT.
UH, BUT THE COUNCIL MEMBER HAVE JUST BEEN TERRIFIC, UH,
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COMPLETE COMMUNITIES, UH, DIRECTING RESOURCES AND UNDERSERVED, UNDEVELOPED COMMUNITIES.SO LET ME BRING ON COUNCIL MEMBER ROBERT GALLEGOS TO SPEAK FOR THE MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL.
ROBERT, WHAT A GREAT DAY FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON, MOST ESPECIALLY HERE IN DISTRICT.
I WANT TO THANK MAYOR TURNER FOR HIS LEADERSHIP IN THIS, BUT ALSO WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE WORKED BEHIND THE SCENES TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN, INCLUDING DIRECTOR HADDOCK.
THANK YOU, DIRECTOR, DEPUTY DIRECTOR DAVIS, CATHERINE SUMMERLAND, DAVID FIELDS, AND P PETER ECCLES.
THE RAISE GRANT APPLICATION FOR THE TELEPHONE ROAD REVITALIZATION PROJECT WILL BE TRANSFORMATIVE WORK IN A NEGLECTED AREA IN MY DISTRICT OVER THE COMING YEARS.
IT WILL PROVIDE ACCESS TO SEVERAL COMMUNITIES IN THE GREATER GULF GATE BONDY AND FREEWAY PINE VALLEY NEIGHBORHOODS FROM LAWNDALE STREET TO SOUTH LOOP SIX 10 FREEWAY.
BUT IT SPECIFICALLY ENHANCES MULTIMODAL SAFETY IN AN AREA WITH ONE OF THE HIGHEST CRASH RATES IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
LIKE THE MAYOR, I REMAIN COMMITTED TO ENHANCING MULTIMODAL ACCESSIBILITY, INCREASING ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES, AND IMPROVEMENT IN THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR THEIR SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES, ENABLING HOUSTONIANS TO SAFELY TRAVEL TO AND FROM WORK, SCHOOL, AND OTHER DESTINATIONS.
WE ARE EXCITED TO HAVE FEDERAL INFRASTRUCTURE FUNDING $21 MILLION OF THE $26.2 MILLION COMING FROM THE RACE GRANT.
THE CITY OF HOUSTON, ALONG WITH THE GULF GATE REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY, IS ALSO VESTED IN THE RECONSTRUCTION PROJECT BY CONTRIBUTING TAX REVENUE FROM THE TURS.
I WILL CONTINUE TO WORK TO ENHANCE THE REMAINING SECTIONS OF TELEPHONE ROAD TO CREATE A CONTINUOUS AND COHESIVE TRANSFORMATIONAL CORRIDOR THAT WILL PROVIDE A SIGNIFICANT, SIGNIFICANT POSITIVE IMPACT TO HOUSTONIANS.
THIS WORK IS NOT DONE IN A SILO.
IT TRULY TAKES A VILLAGE TO ACCOMPLISH THIS TYPE OF LARGE SCALE PROJECT.
I WOULD FIRST LIKE TO THANK THE COMMUNITY FOR THEIR SUPPORT OF THIS PROJECT AND FOR PARTICIPATING IN THE LIVABLE CENTER STUDY FUNDED BY THE EAST END MANAGEMENT DISTRICT THAT HELPED TO REIMAGINE THE TELEPHONE CORRIDOR.
IN ADDITION, I WANT TO THANK THE HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS AND THE PLANT PLANNING DEPARTMENT FOR THE WORK PUT INTO THE SUCCESSFUL GRANT APPLICATION.
AND FOR WORKING WITH MY OFFICE THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THANK THE GULF GATE IN HARRISBURG TOUR FOR CONTINUING TO WORK WITH MY OFFICE TO BRING TRANSFORMATIVE INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS, INDUSTRY THIGH, FINALLY, TO MY COLLEAGUES AT THE LOCAL, STATE AND FEDERAL LEVEL.
THANK YOU FOR SEEING THE BENEFIT OF THIS PROJECT AND FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
AND THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR BEING HERE.
THANK YOU JUST A COUPLE OF MORE.
AND I, AND, AND THEN I'M GONNA LET YOU GO.
UM, I AM SO PROUD OF, OF EVERYONE WHO WORKED TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN.
IT DID TAKE A COLLECTIVE EFFORT.
UH, I DON'T WANT TO, UH, OVERLOOK AT ALL HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS.
SO DIRECTOR HADDOCK, ARE YOU SPEAKING OR WHO, WHO DO YOU WANT TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF? HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS? COME ON, DIRECTOR HADDOCK.
UM, AS YOU CAN TELL, WE ARE ALL DELIGHTED TO BE HERE TODAY.
UM, SO, UH, I I'M GONNA SPEAK ON BEHALF OF HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS, BUT I WILL TELL YOU THAT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS MOST DELIGHT, DELIGHTFUL ABOUT THIS AWARD COMING TO US IS THAT IT IS A PREMONITION OF WHAT IT THIS CITY IS CAPABLE OF DOING.
AS WE MOVE FORWARD, AS SOON AS WE HAVE THE IIJA CRITERIA FOR EACH OF THESE CATEGORIES, WE ARE GOING TO COLLECTIVELY WORK TOGETHER WITHIN THE CITY, WITH OUR PARTNERS AT THE COUNTY, WITH THE STATE AND THE FEDS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE IDENTIFY THE PROJECT THAT MEETS THE CRITERIA, THAT COMPETES THE BEST IN THE NATION AND BRINGS THE MONEY HOME.
WE'RE GONNA DO THAT EVERY SINGLE TIME.
IT'S OUR COMMITMENT TO YOU, IT'S OUR COMMITMENT AS, AS MEMBERS OF HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS.
BUT I WILL ALSO SAY IT WAS A TIRELESS EFFORT, UH, BOTH BY THE EMPLOYEES OF HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS AND THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAD THE INFORMATION THAT WE NEEDED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAD THE COMMUNITY CONCERNS INCLUDED, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAD THE COUNCIL MEMBERS VOICES REPRESENTED AS THESE APPLICATIONS WERE.
AND SO, I WANNA SAY THANK YOU SPECIFICALLY TO THE EMPLOYEES OF HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS, HOUSTON PLANNING DEPARTMENT, UH, AND TO OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS WHO MADE SURE THAT YOUR VOICES WERE AT THE TABLE AND THAT WE HEARD THEM AS WE WENT THROUGH THIS PROCESS.
AND, UH, WE LOOK FORWARD TO BEING ABLE TO COMPETE IN FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES AND BRINGING MORE MONEY HERE.
WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT SATISFIED WITH THIS ONE.
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AND SO THIS TEAM IS READY.WE'RE WE'RE, WE'RE RESTING A LITTLE BIT FOR THE NEXT SET OF CRITERIA THAT COMES DOWN AND AS SOON AS IT'S HERE, WE'RE GONNA BE BURNING THE CANDLE AT BOTH ENDS TO MAKE SURE WE GET THAT NEXT PROJECT TO THE HOUSTON AREA.
SONNY, WHY DON'T YOU COME UP AND REPRESENT ALL OF THE SPECIAL PURPOSE DISTRICTS THAT, THAT ALL INVOLVED.
UM, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE TOURS DO IS WE CONTRIBUTE TO THE LOCAL, TO OUR ZONES.
AND, UH, TOURE RIGHT NOW IS INVOLVED IN MAJOR INFRASTRUCTURE.
WE'VE GOT PLANS THAT ARE LIKE REDOING ALL THE PARKS WITHIN THE TOURS ALONG WITH THE PURCHASE OF ANOTHER ONE.
WE'VE DONE 2,400, UM, WORKFORCE HOUSING UNITS.
AND THIS IS ALL DONE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH DEVELOPERS AND OUR COMMUNITY.
SO OUR ABILITY TO BE INVOLVED IN THIS PROCESS, TO EXTEND IT INTO THE TOURS IS A VERY EXCITING, WE LOOK FORWARD TO IT.
KEN, WHY DON'T YOU COME UP WITH REPRESENTING METRO KEN BROWN, UH, REPRESENTING, UH, METRO 'CAUSE ALL OF THESE THINGS ARE INTERRELATED AND INTEGRATED.
WELL, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE DEVOTED TO IS MAKING SURE, UH, OUR STOPS ARE ACCESSIBLE.
UH, WE WANT PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THAT TRANSIT IS AN OPTION AND NOT JUST AN OPTION, BUT A GREAT OPTION.
AND THE ONLY WAY THAT TRANSIT CAN BE A GREAT OPTION IS IT'S ACCESSIBLE.
SO THIS PROVIDES US WITH AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE HAPPENS AND WE'RE GONNA WORK TOGETHER TO COORDINATE AND MAKE THE ENHANCEMENTS TO THIS CORRIDOR TO IMPROVE EVERY ASPECT OF OUR CUSTOMER'S TRIP.
AND WE ARE FOCUSED ON THE $21 MILLION, BUT I THINK WE'LL BE SHORTSIGHTED AND JUST FOCUSING ON THE 21 MILLION, THAT'S THE PART OF THE COST OF 26 MILLION OF MAKING IT HAPPEN.
IT'S THE BEGINNING, BUT IT IS THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
AND THE ECONOMIC MULTIPLIER BECAUSE AS WE INVEST IN THESE COMMUNITIES WHERE THERE HAS BEEN A LACK OF INVESTMENT, IT WILL ATTRACT OTHERS TO COME, INVEST, BUILD OPEN BUSINESSES.
SO THE ECONOMIC MULTIPLIER IS SO MUCH GREATER, UH, THAN 21 MILLION.
AND AGAIN, I WANT TO THANK, UH, VERONICA AND DAVID AND SO MANY OTHERS FOR REALLY COMING TOGETHER.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FROM ANYBODY? WE GET IT DONE.
THEN WE'RE GONNA TAKE SOME PICTURES.