Transportation For America » Americans overwhelmingly support new transportation investments

Americans overwhelmingly support new transportation investments

November 20, 2008
By Stephen Lee Davis

Vote Here The results of November’s Presidential election may have represented a change for our country, but at least one trend at the ballot box remained unchanged from the past few elections: Taxpayers across the country approved a bevy of ballot measures to expand public transportation, commuter rail, bike and pedestrian access, and other innovative transportation projects.

It’s perhaps most telling that even in a time of brutal economic crises and expensive gas, taxpayers voted for 14 initiatives that will raise their taxes. In short, we seem to be collectively tired of business-as-usual — more highways, all the time, resulting in only more congestion, with no coherent vision for world-class transportation in our cities and communities — and we are willing to pay out of our own pockets for solutions that can get us out of traffic and keep us moving. Hit the jump for the details.

At least 23 transportation-related initiatives were approved nationwide, meaning that more than $75 billion will soon be flowing into our transportation networks. There were big victories in California with Measure R in Los Angeles (read our Q&A with the campaign director) and Proposition 1A statewide that will provide the initial financing for a high-speed rail system from San Francisco to Los Angeles.

In 2007, Seattle voters gave a collective “thumbs down” to a transit funding package that would have expanded rail and bus service — but also included funding for roads and highways. This year, Sound Transit brought a new proposal to the ballot box that stripped out the road and highway provisions, but added 34 additional miles of light rail, expanded bus service and a 15 year timeline for construction. This time, Seattle voters approved the $17.8 billion sales tax package 58 to 42 percent.

Bill Millar, president of the American Public Transportation Association, told the Wall Street Journal that this year was perhaps even more telling than the past few elections with transportation ballot measures:

“Before the election, we wondered what was going to weigh most on voters,” he said. “…the recent memory of $4 per gallon gas or concerns about the economy. It was pretty clear people voted for the future. The page has turned on transportation in America.”

Pretty soon, there will likely be skilled workers from the reeling automotive industry looking for work, where demand is guaranteed to fall well short of their production capacity, bailout or no. Why, what in the world could we build to put a large number of skilled laborers to work?

American companies once built the best streetcars in the world. Photo from the Douglas Wornum Collection (Postcard from the collection of Rick Russell)

Siemens, which makes train equipment for both light rail and high-speed rail, plans to bid on many of the recently approved projects, and expects its annual revenue from light-rail projects in the U.S. to grow 50% to $300 million in coming years. It has a three-year backlog for railcar orders and is hiring 200 additional workers in coming months.

“When you go through an election cycle like we just went through, it confirms the strategy we put together,” said Robin Stimson, vice president of business development for Siemens Transportation Systems Inc. “It’s related to the outlook that the rail renaissance will continue to grow.”

Executives at niche locomotive builder Brookville Equipment Corp., say it has expanded employment 25% to 200 workers in the past year, and has added 24,000 square feet to its production facility in Brookville, Pa. The company expects sales to double this year to $50 million and has order backlogs until 2011.

And that’s only with the very modest increases in rail and public transportation investments in this country. Imagine if we really got serious about investing in 21st Century transportation? It’s time to return America to the position of worldwide envy for our transportation system.

Did November 4th’s successful ballot measures get us there? Of course not. But it was a very good start.

Read an exhaustive rundown on transportation ballot measures from the Center for Transportation Excellence. And don’t miss Ryan Avent’s wonderful piece on Grist detailing how investing in transit is a sound economic decision for the future.

Filed under: Campaign Blog
Tags: ballot measures, election, elections 2008, featured

Evan

In the San Francisco Bay Area, Marin/Sonoma counties passed the SMART proposition to build a DMU commuter train. In Santa Clara County, a new sales tax to bring the regional subway to the area is looking like it will pass — with more than 66.67 percent of votes.

And California of course passed a $10 billion bond to bring high-speed rail to the state, despite falling gas prices and a tanking economy. Glad to hear the rest of the country is voting the same way.
David Johnson

I support Bus Trolley System, Light Rail Transit, Electrical EMU, Subway, and streetcars in the United States. I want seeing that improving transit with these modes. I urge to major cities serve Light Rail trains to and from downtown in most key importants included bus trolley coaches, too. smile. I would be appreicating to bring these modes support in the Congress encouragement. Thank you for taking your times.

Sincerely,
Mr. David Johnson
Klaus Lessnau MD

I would greatly appreciate if you could increase biking possibilities.

Thank you very much for your help

Klaus D. Lessnau MD
Henry Servin, P.E.

This article and the efforts of T4 America demonstrate we have all the key strategies in place to retool for the next round of economic revitalization. Congress has before it whether to use stimulus package monies for subsidizing SUV production or taking a courageous step towards making us future market leaders in mass transit and energy conservation strategies. The voters have strongly indicated they seek lasting and sustainable change. Our leaders should be encouraged to steer toward market growth that will create new and worthwhile jobs at all skill levels. My hope is that new economies are created that support sustainable industries. American workers are among the most productive on this planet, let’s get them the chance to prove it at these new industries. Who know, the jobs we save, may be our own.
Henry Servin, P.E.

last sentence typo. It should read:
Who knows, the jobs we save, may be our own.

thanks,
http://gulfcoastinstitute.org/growthnews/?p=851 Houston Tomorrow Growth News » Blog Archive » Support for transportation alternatives is a continuing trend among US voters

[...] to returning the US to a “position of worldwide envy for our transportation system,” says a recent article from transportation advocacy coalition Transportation for America. For the past several elections, voters have been showing continuing support for funding measures [...]
http://gulfcoastinstitute.org/growthnews/?p=879 Houston Tomorrow Growth News » Blog Archive » Transit package passes after road and highway taxes are removed

[...] to roads and highways, says an article in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. According to a Transportation for America blog article, these road and highway provisions were not included in the new transportation [...]
http://www.ecosilly.com/?p=2853 Is the End of Auto-cracy in Sight?

[...] the November election, voters around the U.S. approved billions in new spending for transit including a California high-speed intercity rail system and a $17.8 billion tax increase in Seattle [...]
http://www.bossyman15.com Adam Clark

I visited Japan last June and I was shocked to see how big the mass transportation it was there! I also rode Shinkansen and I loved it!

Japan is a transportation heaven!

being a Californian of course i voted for prop 1a :)

i just hope it didn’t tank like ones in texas and flordia.
http://www.jessefoxblog.com/2008/12/612/ - jesse fox blog

[...] proof that Americans support investments in better public transportation, the group points to 23 new transport-related initiatives, approved on Election Day, that will invest a total of $75 billion in transit projects across the [...]
http://clawback.org/2009/01/08/advice-to-obama-how-to-make-the-recovery-plan-accountable-and-strategic/ Advice to Obama: How to Make the Recovery Plan Accountable and Strategic «

[...] People the Transit They Demand: Americans are stampeding with their feet—and their bond-vote dollars—to demand more and better public transportation. Since the Recovery Plan won’t be funded with [...]
http://AARP Sandy White

How can we get more citizens to communicate with municipality, county, state and federal decision makers (translate that as our elected legislators and their professional advisors like the Metropolitan Planning Organizations and budget makers) about what you need public transportation. Each citizen who takes the time and makes the effort will be counted as another possible vote so a politician can get re-elected, something they really like to see. And I can priomise you that as long as you take the route of “educating decision makers as to real needs” rather than fighting or being insulting, you will have great successes. If the decision makers don’t know you, you don’t exist and therefore don’t need a ride! No decision maker has time or energy to poll everybody, so don’t wait to be asked. Just write a letter and sign it, make some telephone calls, or make a personal appointment with as many of those decision makers as you can. Now is a good time to get together with your state and federal legislators before the Congress meets.

And if you live in Florida, work fast because on Friday, January 16, 2009, a state special legislative session includes voting on the 2009-2010 state budget. State spending on public transportation makes your state eligibile for more federal dollars for public transportation. Like wise county and municipal spending on transportation makes your area more likely to get state funding of transportation.

For too long these decision makers have been afraid to approve public transportation funding because they only hear from critics telling them not to fund empty buses and a system that doesn’t make money. All systems have empty buses during off peak hours, none make money, and transportation is a public service much like schools, parks. and libraries, not a profitible business.

As our country’s population ages, more people need public transportation. When jobs pay lower wages such as in fast food, workers can’t afford cars, gas and insurance to get to work. When more infants with disabilities and very ill adults are saved due to advancements in health care, more disabled people need public transportation. When our highways become clogged with more trucks and automobiles and our air poluted with their exhaust, we need more public transportation. When older areas of towns become depressed and vacant, more jobs created there with redevelopment will require more public transportation to bring workers back to work there.

National studies have proven that investment by government in public transportation brings back more progress and money in the long run. We cannot afford to keep nondrivers at home idle, without social serves, without jobs and without health care making them more seriously ill and forcing them into nursing homes under Medicaid. That is not the most responsible use of our tax dollars.

Do you think because you don’t need public transportation, your area where you live doesn’t need to invest in transportation other than roads and bridges? Think again!!! Your automobile and truck insurance rates are based on the number of accidents in your area. Do non-drivers never become desperate and always quit driving? You think about it!
http://www.trilliumtransit.com/blog/2009/01/22/how-can-transit-ride-americas-latest-craze-for-change/ Trillium Solutions blog » Blog Archive » How can transit ride America’s latest craze for change?

[...] the on-target Transportation for America advocacy effort points out, Americans came out strongly in support of transit ballot measures this last November. As a sign of the that support, Bullet Trains & Light Rail have been voted high on the top 10 [...]
http://t4america.org Jim Hanold

I found Sandy White’s thoughts on public transportation to be interesting and useful. I am in agreement with her.

I am planning on advocating for more funds for our local public transportation service.

To the persons who operate this website: Please e-mail me with suggestions about procedures that I might implement in this endeavor.

Thank you!
Jim Hanold
Newton, Iowa.