Grateful for funding increase, transit advocates make final push for more

Transportation advocates are thanking Mayor Mike Duggan for a proposed increase to the city's transportation budget, but said the $20 million boost isn't enough.

Public commenters line up to ask city council to boost the city’s proposed transportation budget.

The mayor’s proposed $3 billion annual budget includes a $19.9 million increase to the city’s transportation budget, and while transit advocates are celebrating the extra funding, they’re also requesting an additional $16 million.

The $19.9 million increase to DDOT’s annual budget represents a victory for the city’s transit advocates, some who expressed gratitude to Duggan for proposing a significant boost. The funding will add 117 more full-time employees and go toward improving service and reliability, according to the mayor’s budget outline.

More than a dozen transit advocates gathered outside the city/county building Monday evening ahead of the meeting holding signs reading, “Double DDOT.”

The mayor has proposed a $209 million budget for DDOT, $135 million of those funds coming from the city’s general fund. Councilwoman Gabriela Santiago-Romero, who was absent at the evening budget hearing Monday, has joined the effort, requesting to increase the investment from the general fund to $225 million.