Houston to get federal transportation dollars?

HOUSTON But millions of dollars could be heading to Houston if there is a change in federal law. That's why Secretary of Transportation Mary Peters made a stop in Houston today. She's on a multi-city tour across the country as part of a Bush administration push to help change the law and make it easier for cities like Houston to get transportation funds that are usually caught up in red tape.

"The bottom line is that our current approach to transportation discourages, actively discourages instead of encourages the type of innovative approaches to financing and building like the north transit corridor that Houston needs to keep its residents moving," said Peters earlier today.

"We're the fastest growing community in the United States, fastest growing demographically, fastest growing job growth," said Houston Mayor Bill White. "And that means we have a lot of transportation needs."

METRO is currently building its East End line, which is being paid for solely by the city and taxpayers. There are plans to build two more lines to the north and southeast parts of the city and if there was a change at the federal level, those two lines could be paid for with federal money.

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