Voters approved 14 out of 19 public transit measures when they went to the polls on Tuesday, according to the American Public Transportation Association (APTA).
The public’s approval bring this year’s total to 29 out of 36 wins for public transit, an 80 percent approval rate, APTA said. One measure is still waiting for results, the association said. However, the measure is anticipated to win approval.
“Almost one year ago, President Biden signed the historic Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to provide state & local communities with long overdue funding for transportation, including public transit. In the year since, communities have met the moment and stepped up with bold visions for their transportation futures and asked voters for local funding to match,” Paul P. Skoutelas, APTA president and CEO, said. “We’re heartened to see that voters have once again put trust in their communities with overwhelming victories for measures funding public transit across the nation last night and throughout the past year, and we’re excited to see even more communities follow suit in 2023 and 2024.”
The results of Tuesday’s votes bring the total rate of approval for public transit measures from 2017 to 2022 to 85 percent. APTA said the results show that voters are committed to funding transit projects at a time when the federal government is ready to invest in public transit and infrastructure.
“For years, the public’s support for transit has been on a roll, and 2022 is no different,” Josh Cohen, executive director of APTA’s Center for Transportation Excellence, said. “Voters support transit at the ballot box because it can transform a community and create pathways to a more equitable and accessible future. Transit is the only issue that unites leaders from all walks of society, from elected officials to transit agencies to business to labor to the grassroots, around a common vision that benefits all of us. While some of the larger measures suffered a setback, the results from the 2022 elections reflect a years-long trend toward greater investment.”
Among Tuesday’s winning measures were a 4 percent tax on earners over $1 million that would generate more than $1.3 billion of education, roads, bridges, and public transportation and a $52.6 million bond to fund a variety of transportation and transit projects across Arlington County, Va. In all, Tuesday’s winning ballot measures will raise over $4 billion in new funding.